The Best in the World
by tigger0625
Summary: This is a cross over with NCIS/ What would happen if Aaron Hotchner met someone who could break through that tough skin of his to reveal his true heart. Be gentle this is my first fic I changed the Rating on this I might have it a little high but.....
1. Chapter 1

"Aaron, we need to talk."

Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner was used to hearing those words coming from his soon to be ex wife, Haley. But usually he could hear the anger dripping from her tone of voice, this time however she just sounded defeated like she had given up. Aaron knew that as long as she was angry that there was still hope for them that she still had some sort of feelings for him. "What's wrong Haley? Is Jack alright?" He asked unconsciously gripping the phone tighter in his hand.

"He's fine, I just need to get to the bottom of all this, we need to make some decisions."

"I know, I will leave here in a few minutes and then I will be there." He knew from past experience that saying he'd be 'home' would begin an argument that he wasn't in the mood to have again. Aaron slid the phone into his jacket pocket and finished up with the case file that he had been working on and then loaded the other ten or so into his laptop case to work on later. With a sigh he turned the lights out and closed his office door. He remembered not so long ago when he couldn't wait to get home and see Jack, hold Haley in his arms and remind himself that he really was a flesh and blood human being.

Seeing SSA Emily Prentiss sitting under her desk lamp in the almost dark bullpen he almost smiled. "Why are you still here?"

She started at the harsh sound of his voice in the silent room. "I uh I'm just finishing up this file and I will be done."

Aaron didn't like the way she nearly shied away from him, not in a fearful way but almost as if she didn't want to get to close or she might get burned. He tried to soften his voice when he responded. "Don't stay too late, I need you fresh in the morning, JJ will be briefing us first thing." She visibly relaxed and smiled at him

"I won't" He continued towards the hallway.

"Hey Hotch"

He turned back towards her eyebrows raised, not trusting his voice to be mild. She almost looked like she was surprised that she had spoken out loud and now that he was standing there looking at her she was trying to decided what to say. Emily smile sheepishly obviously coming to the conclusion that the truth was her best bet considering who she was talking to. "I'm here for you if you ever need uh well uh a women's point of view or whatever."

Aaron gave her a rare smile, "Thanks Em, goodnight." Aaron was still smiling when the elevator doors closed. Sometimes he liked to think that he was the only one who could read his coworkers minds, but Emily Prentiss had had hit the proverbial nail on the head. That smile disappeared when he remembered what faced him tonight. Haley had moved back in their home with Jack and Aaron had moved into an apartment near the BAU. Even in this pending divorce he was still giving up everything he could for people he cared for most. They had made a decision that the less this affected their son in his day to day life the better; it was probably the only thing that they had agreed on at all lately. He knew that she just wanted to not have to worry about him day in and day out, but he couldn't sleep at night knowing what was out there preying on children and wives just like his and not be doing something to keep them safe. Aaron knew that Haley couldn't truly understand that because he had never told her details of the monsters that he fought every day. Never let her know that he laid awake nights next to her listening to her breath knowing that the only way to keep the nightmares at bay was to keep his eyes open as long as possible. Then the nightmares had turned into vivid pictures that flashed before his eyes whenever he looked at the two of them reminding him of why he couldn't just walk away from the BAU.

He pulled the black SUV in the drive way but not all the way into the garage like had done so many times before and forced himself to walk up the concrete path to the front door. As he stood there waiting to be let into his own house he remembered the night he and Haley had moved in and she had giggled sweetly as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over the threshold. It was all different now though. When the door opened a bundle of energy came screeching out and jumped into his arms.

"Daddy Daddy!" Aaron wrapped the little boy in a hug and closed his eyes savoring the way Jack felt with his tiny arms wrapped around his neck. Just as fast as he had gotten there Jack was down on the floor tugging Aaron through the door. "Comon Daddy see big tuck"

Haley spoke for the first time explaining that they had been out shopping and he'd gotten a new truck today. Aaron followed him to his room and sat down in the floor ignoring Haley standing in the doorway with tears streaming down her face. After a few minutes she left and Aaron convinced Jack that it was time for bed. They brushed his teeth and pulled on blue pajamas with bright red fire trucks all over them. It took three stories and a million kisses but finally those blue eyes began to close and Aaron tiptoed out and pulled the door closed behind him.

Aaron found Haley in the living room sitting on the couch with their wedding album open in her lap. He sat at the opposite end from her

"Aaron, I'm sorry I just can't keep living like this it hurts to much I think we are just going to have to make a clean cut and move on."

"Haley I don't want to do this, I don't want to leave and I don't want you and Jack to leave." He looked down at his lap debating what to say next, he knew that she wanted him to tell her that he would quit the BAU. He moved over so that he could pull her into his arms, she curled up in his lap like a child. "I'm sorry Haley but I just can't do what you want me to. I can't live with myself."

Haley pulled away from him, stood up and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. "Then you should go, I'm taking Jack to my parents for the week next week. Take whatever you want but just have it gone by the time we get back. I will go and talk with Daddy's lawyer while I'm there to have divorce papers drawn up."

Aaron got to his feet knowing that if he didn't leave now he would lose his resolve. He got to the front door and stopped and turned back to her, "I will sign whatever you think is fair Haley, just let me see Jack I don't him to forget about me." He could hear the vulnerability in his own voice and knowing that she was aware of his relationship with his own father that she would understand his need to be in Jacks life.

"Aaron all you have to do is _make time_."

The sarcasm was dripping off her words, but Aaron heard it as pain and didn't bite back. He just turned and continued back out to his car. As soon as he sat down and the silence wrapped around him and he could feel himself pushing the pain and if he was really honest with himself a little bit of anger from his failing marriage. Before he'd even gotten to the small apartment he now called home he had gone back to being Agent Hotchner, the stern faced profiler who almost never showed any type of emotion. Unlocking the door he dropped his things from the office on the floor and began peeling off his tie and white button down shirt. He changed into sweat pants and a grey t-shirt with the black FBI logo on the front. He knew without looking that the fridge was empty but opened it to look none the less. Aaron wasn't a drinker at home, the occasional beer out with hteam after a case was one thing but drinking at home alone was something totally different. He had seen firsthand what alcohol did to a family and being on the receiving end of what it turned his father into made it repulsive to him. If there was one thing that Aaron Hotchner had learned from his perfectionist abusive father it was that liquor made a man weak and if he was anything it was not weak.


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to add this to the first chapter. This is my first story so please review and and any ideas you have Im bad about getting stuck in a story so let me know. Hope you enjoy!!**

* * *

It seemed like he had just sat down on the couch in the living room when the ringing phone woke him. "Hotchner"

"Hey Hotch, sorry to wake you but I just got a call from Agent Fornell he wants us there yesterday. They have another bombing, and they'd like us to get there as so as possible." JJ's soft but confidant voice came over the line.

"Alright I'll be right in have you called the rest of the team?"

"All but Emily, she's next in my phone list."

It always had amazed Aaron how JJ could sound so awake no matter what time of the day it was, he'd given up figuring that one out and just decided that she never slept so, no need to sound asleep.

He dialed Agent Emily Prentiss number and listen to it ring on the other end; he thought that he was going to get her voicemail but at the last ring she picked up.

"Hotch I told you I was there for you if you needed to talk but I figured that it would be at least closer to sunrise." Aaron smiled into the phone at her attempt at humor.

"Were going wheels up in forty-five minutes, I'll see you at the office."

Aaron knew that he sounded harsh but it was what they all expected of them now

Thirty minutes later they were all assembled in the conference room and JJ was giving them the rundown on the case.

"So far we have two bombings at naval hospitals, this latest one was here at Bethesda." She passed out files as she spoke. As she finished up briefing them a grey haired man appeared in the doorway, "Agent Fornell, I would say good morning but it's not yet day light. I'm Jennifer Jarough, we spoke in the phone, and this is SSA Hotchner, Prentiss, Morgan and Dr Spencer Reid." JJ walked over to shake the man's hand and was followed by Aaron and Morgan.

"Agent Fornell is the lead agent on this case and he is working jointly with the Navy's NCIS, he has asked us to come in to help with a profile. So far they have had no terrorist claim responsibility for the explosions."

"How are they getting the bomb into the hospital?" Hotch asked.

Agent Fornell answered, "A man has walked into the ER with a package loaded with enough C4 strapped to his chest to take out the entire floor, he delivers it to the front desk and turns around and walks right back out the front door. Because of the fact that the bomb is obliterating everything anywhere close by all we have to go on is a quick shot of his profile on one of the security cameras."

"That's not much to go on; can we get the footage to Garcia? Maybe she can clean it up a little bit." Emily asked.

"We are going to be working alongside the agents from NCIS on this one they have a very experienced team and if we can work together on this we might be able to catch this group, whoever they are before more innocent women and children die." With that Agent Fornell turned and left the room. Morgan spoke for the first time. "Something tell me that the comment about, 'if we could get along' was a warning. Does anyone know anything about this team we're going to be working with?" "Doesn't matter they are federal agents with the same goal as us, knowing about them will not change the fact that we have to get along with them on this." Hotch intervened. "JJ, go get Garcia the two off you will come with me to their headquarters the rest of you get to the hospital and see if you can get an idea of the area why that particular spot in the hospital. We need to work fast on this, if they hold to the profile we only have thirty six hours until the next target is hit."

Everyone disbursed to grab their ready bags and anything else that they wanted for the drive over. JJ sunk down into one of the now unoccupied chairs around the conference room table with a sigh. Hotch hung back, "you ok JJ? I think sometimes you never sleep, but now with the baby well I know that it's going to start catching up with you. Don't kill yourself just to keep up with us." JJ smiled wearily up at him "I'm ok for now." She placed a hand on her growing abdomen lovingly "I know that I wont be able to keep the pace much longer but it's ok." Hotch nodded and turned to go. "Hey Hotch, thank you for uh being worried." He stopped just shy of opening the door and faced her again, this time allowing the emotion to make it all the way to his face. "Do I come across to everyone as if I don't care Jayje?" She rose to her feet as quickly as her tummy would allow her and moved to stand in front of him. "Hotch we all know you care it's just that you are so afraid to let us see it, I'm not even a profiler but I have worked with you long enough to know that. You feel everything deeply and you seem to feel as if you have to make up for Haley leaving by being there for all of us. Remember that we all care about you as much as you care about us and we are in the same place as you. I may have Will in theory but he is still in Louisiana and everyone else has no one nearby but the team lean on us like you would expect us to lean on you." She had reached to take hold of his hand as she said all of this and Hotchner could feel himself losing control of his emotions. He looked down "JJ I think you might have missed your calling." And then he was gone.

JJ had described him almost to perfection, had he gotten that bad at hiding or had she just learned all that from being part of this team for so long? Whatever it was he just needed to put it aside and work to solve this case, it was going to take all of his focus to solve this one.

They were driving along each of them lost in their own thoughts, Hotch, JJ and Emily in the first SUV and Morgan, Reid, Garcia and Fornell in the second one. JJ and Emily were bouncing ideas around about baby names, making Aaron reminisce back to almost five years ago when he and Haley were trying to pick out a name for Jack. He really did have to stop thinking about her with every situation that presented itself. He realized that it had gotten very quiet and when he turned to look at JJ in the seat next to him he saw that she was grinning at him from ear to ear. He obviously missed something. "What?" He smile was contagious and he couldn't help but grin back at her. "We were just wondering what your thoughts were on the name Annabelle?" Emily spoke up from the back seat. "He glanced up at her in the mirror as JJ's words from earlier came back to him and he knew that Emily was trying to subtly draw him out to join them in the conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

"I like Annabelle, it suits you Jayje." Hotch responded smiling. He knew without even looking at the two women in the vehicle with him that he had shocked them with his attempt at teasing JJ. Looking over at the wide eyed blonde seated next to him confirmed it. Her expression quickly changed from surprised to a slight nod of approval as it dawned on her that he was trying to take her advice from earlier.

She smiled at him, "Now I just have to convince Will that she's a she." JJ laughed. Hotch pulled the SUV up to the gate guard, they showed their FBI badges, and were waved in. Following the signs that directed them to the NCIS headquarters, He parked in a place where Morgan could park in the space next to him. All seven agents climbed stiffly from the vehicles and began making their way toward the entrance to the building.

Agent Fornell fell into step beside Hotch in mild authoritative competition. Both men ran extremely efficient teams and seamless investigations and Morgan wondered silently what was going to happen when the two men joined with the third leader of this joint team. And which man was going to concede and let the other lead the way through the front door! Morgan looked downward to hide his grin as he passed by Agent Fornell who held the door. "That's my boy Hotch!" he muttered under his breath with a chuckle.

The elevator ride up was a quiet one and when the doors opened to reveal the NCIS bullpen it was like the team was back at home, right down to the cluttered desk overflowing with case files.

Agent Fornell led the group off the elevator and across to stand in front of a desk where a grey haired man sat.

"Jethro"

"Tobias"

"This is the FBI's elite team of Behavioral Analyst; they are here to assist us on this case. This is SSA Hotchner, Morgan, Prentiss, Jareau, Dr Reid and Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia." Agent Fornell turned to look at the profilers. "This is Special Agent Gibbs and his team Agents Dinozzo, Todd and McGhee."

Hotch reached forward to shake hands with the older agent, "Agent Gibbs it is going to be a pleasure working with you on this case."

Gibbs turned to Fornell, "My office, now!"

Fornell turned back to them an apology in his eyes, "I will be back"

Hotch followed the two men with his eyes and was surprised to see them enter the elevator not take the short flight of stairs up to what he assumed were where the senior offices were located.

"Gibbs and Fornell have a 'love/hate' relationship." Dinozzo explained, coming up alongside Hotch. "They will have that elevator tied up until they come to an agreement."

Hotch turned around taking in the people standing around him his eyes came to rest on a dark haired women standing next to Agent Dinozzo. He actually smiled and extended his hand to her, "Hi, I'm Aaron Hotchner." He realized to late the he had left off the SSA part of his title.

"I'm Caitlin, 'Kate' Todd." She smiled. Aaron felt something warm inside his chest as she put her small hand inside his larger one. It felt cliché even in his mind, but he suddenly felt like everyone else had disappeared from the room. But as quick as the moment had come, it was gone.

"So, Hotch you still want me, Em, and Reid to head over to Bethesda?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, go ahead. JJ and I will stay here and get Garcia settled in with their tech." He turned to look at Kate, "If that's alright?"

They had decided as they left the BAU that it would be best if the whole team went to NCIS together to meet the Agents there before splitting up on their respective assignments.

Kate smiled and nodded, "its fine by me, I can take you guys down and introduce you to Abby, she our lab tech."

"And I will take you over to Bethesda and show you around, we have a set of floor plans so you can see exactly where everything is… er… was." Tony offered

Kate rolled her eyes when Tony moved to stand right next to Emily, grinning at her like a teenager.

McGhee spoke up for the first time, "I think I will wait here for instructions from Gibbs."

"Ok well let's get to it." Morgan said and headed for the elevator.

"Um, you'll be waiting a while for that; we'll have better luck with the stairs." Tony announced with a sideways grin.

It was then that the elevator doors opened and two stony faced men emerged. Gibbs walked straight over to stand in front of Hotch. He was a couple of inches shorter that Hotch but the two men were equally matched. The other occupants of the room collectively held their breath until Gibbs spoke.

We run point on this; everything goes through me and my team, understood?"

"Agent Gibbs, I appreciate the fact that this is your investigation on your Naval base. So let me be clear when I say that my team and I are not here to undermine you in any way. Behavior analysis is very specific, and we are the best in the world at it, as you are at your field. But for what we do to work; you must trust us and allow us to do our job, just as we allow you to do yours."

For what seemed like an eternity no one spoke or even let out a breath as the two men stared one another down, refusing to budge. Finally Gibbs smirked and said, "Kate, you're to stick with Agent Hotchner here since you're the one that's so familiar with all this mind science, FBI stuff."

"Sure Gibbs."

No one moved.

"Well get out of here!" Gibbs yelled

They collectively took the elevator down, Tony, Morgan, Reid and Emily getting off at the first floor. Hotch, Kate, JJ, and Garcia stayed on to go to the basement to meet with Abby Sciuto the lab tech.

"So you are former FBI?" Hotch asked as they waited for the doors to open.

"No, I was secret service for the president on Air Force One, but I have experience with criminal profiling."

"Wow, what made you quit that and come here… not that NCIS isn't a good job?" Hotch stammered.

Garcia and JJ looked at each other in surprise; Hotch never stumbled over his words! What was going on here?

"It's a long story that I'd be glad to share when we have more time." Kate responded with a smile as they stepped out of the elevator to find Abby waiting for them.

* * *

**So what do you guys think about this thing maybe between Kate and Hotch? I'm not sure how its going to work out just yet. I feel like these guys are my friends and I am sitting back watching them live thier lives. Please continue to review I love hearing what you guys think should happen. Hope you enjoy I will try and update as soon as I can. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you guys for your reviews, and for your patience. I am working like fifty hours a week and I have a little boy to take care of in the evenings so I am updating as quickly as I can. Please forgive any inconsistancies, this is my first attempt at something like this. I love writing and I love these two shows so I thought I would give it a shot. Please please please review and let me know any ideas you have, my biggest problem is that I get stuck and dont know where to go from there. Ok Im going to stop rambling now hope you all enjoy!!!**

* * *

"Hi, I'm Abby."

"Wow." Garcia sighed as her eyes fell on Abby's lab equipment. "You have quite a lab down here."

Abby smiled "We are going to be best friends, I can tell already."

Kate smiled as she took in Hotch and JJ's expression at Abby's appearance; she was definitely eccentric on the Goth side in her attire. Not what most people expected to see in the lab of NCIS.

"Abby this is SSA Hotchner, Jareau, and Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia; she will be working with you on the surveillance video footage from the hospital.

Hotch, JJ, and Kate left Garcia and Abby to their computers, "She not as strange as she looks." Kate said once they were back in the elevator.

Hotch looked over at her with a smile, "And here I always thought that Garcia was over the top, they should get along well though."

"Yeah, so where do you want to go from here?" Kate asked breaking eye contact.

JJ spoke up, "how are we handling the media here with the bombings?"

"Director Shepherd handles that from our end but we try and keep out of it as much as possible, unless it benefits us in the investigation."

"Same here" JJ said with a chuckle.

"We need to figure out why he is targeting hospitals to be able to build a profile. What is the trigger for him, is it just the terror of it?" Hotch thought out loud.

They had arrived back at the bullpen by then and Kate propped against the edge of her desk picking up the case file she began to thumb through it. "It sure seems that way, chances are he stuck around afterward to watch the chaos."

"Do we have pictures of the crowd?" Hotch moved over to stand where he could look over her shoulder.

Kate went around her desk and tapped on a few keys on her computer. "We have all the pictures on digital image." She explained, grabbing the remote to the large screen and began to click through crime scene photos. She came back around to prop next to Hotch on the desk. "These first ones are mostly the damage of the building and bomb fragments, but here these are of the bystanders."

"Hey guys I'm sorry but I have to use the ladies room." JJ announced with an apologetic look.

Kate gave her directions and then turned back to the screen. "see anyone that looks suspicious?"

Hotch shook his head "no but Garcia can run facial recognition software on these and the ones from the first crime scene. See if any of them are the same." He pulled out his cell phone speed dialing Garcia.

"Speak to me handsome one."

Hotch smiled, calling Garcia was always a boost to your ego. "Garcia I need you to run your facial recognition software on the crime scene photos of the bystanders, see if any of them match from one to the other."

"Got it sir, I will send the results to your phone when I'm done." He could hear her tapping furiously on the keyboard before she had even hung up the phone.

"We need to figure out why these hospitals and this ward in particular. Do you have a list of employees that were just coming on and ones just getting off shift?"

"Yeah I have the deceased right here." Kate flipped open the file and I'm sure we can get the others from the hospital, you're trying to get victimology right?"

"You do have experience with profiling." Hotch responded with a smile.

For the rest of the afternoon they chased down leads and worked over witnesses trying to get a good profile on the serial bomber. It was after ten pm when they decided to call it a night, get some sleep and a fresh start in the morning.

Everyone was gathering their things to get ready to go home, "so you all have my cell number if something comes up through the night let me know immediately." Hotch said.

"Got it and the same goes for you let us know if you hear anything, and we will meet back here at 0600 tomorrow morning. " Kate answered with a smile.

I occurred to Hotch that she smiled a lot and in that same instant it also occurred to him that _he_ smiled more when he was around her. He didn't want to think about that right then or the other effects that this woman had on him. Especially not while he was with the best behavior analyst in the world no need to have them reading his thoughts and profiling him when he wasn't even sure what he was thinking yet himself.

The ride back was a quiet one the girls didn't say much and Hotch of course didn't initiate conversation, he dropped Emily off at her house and then JJ at her apartment. He would be picking them up in just a few hours to head back but this team was used to running on very little sleep.

He drove to his apartment on auto pilot parking in the spot nearest to the door that was available at this hour; he tossed his suit jacket over one arm and began loosening his tie as he walked wearily to the entrance to the complex. He noticed the only other movement in the parking lot was a dark haired woman that reminded him of Kate. Wow I'm really losing it if every where I turn something reminds me of her. He punched the button for the elevator with a little more force than was really necessary in his frustration. As he stood there waiting he closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts on the loose ends of the case and not her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"Hotch nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound of the voice next to him. He was even more shocked at who he saw, "I live here, why else would I be here?" His tone was harsher than he intended on it being, and the smile left her face and Hotch could see her put up the wall to protect herself like she would while working.

"I'm sorry, that didn't come out right, I've been here since Haley and I were separated." Hotch explained, reaching out to gently touch her elbow. He wasn't sure why exactly he had thrown in that last part. "It's been a long day and I; I wasn't expecting to see you here." He didn't want to tell her that she had appeared out of his imagination.

"Strange that we have lived in the same building the last few months and our paths never crossed." Kate said.

The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped in. Hotch pressed the button for the fifth floor, and Kate hit the third." Sometimes I feel like I spend half my day riding in elevators" She said with a laugh.

A few seconds and the doors opened again, Hotch held the door as she stepped off. Half way through Kate turned back, "hey um do you, uh do you want to grab some breakfast tomorrow before we meet up with the others?"

Hotch was stunned and for a second wasn't sure that she had really said it in reality and not in his head. He looked into her eyes as she stood there waiting for him to give her an answer, her eyes were so innocent but yet they had seen the horrors of his line of work. Could this woman understand him in a way that Haley never could? First of all he needed to stop comparing her to Haley and second he needed to give her an answer.


	5. Chapter 5

"Um sure, that'd be great. What time?"

Kate smiled in obvious relief at his answer. "Well we have to be at NCIS at 0600 so is 0500 to early for you? We can meet downstairs."

"Sounds great, I will see you then." The doors closed, cutting off his view of her.

Hotch went through the motions of getting ready for bed his mind still on Kate Todd. Twenty years before he had spotted Haley in the school theatre, he'd done everything he could to get her attention and it hadn't been easy. They were married and he began practicing law. It didn't take long for that to not be enough. It was about that time when the nightmares started. He would see the photos taken at crime scenes and do everything in his power to put the bad guys behind bars for as long as legally possible. But it wasn't enough the images of those women haunted his dreams every night. Each time taking on resemblances of Haley, or his mother, or even his legal secretary whom he had no emotional attachments to; he had to do something to help these women _before_ they became just another crime scene photo in his file. It was then that he sat Haley down on their couch and tried to explain to her what he was going through. She had given him her sympathy but couldn't truly understand it, she stood by him when he entered the FBI and began adding hours to the already long days he put in. She was the perfect wife she never complained when he had to jump on a plane and leave her alone to help someone else's wife or mother or sister. But looking back he could see it in her eyes every time that she stayed silent was one more brick in the wall between them. The day she had told him she was pregnant with Jack he played the part of a happy father to be, he was but on the flip side it added just another weight to the already heavy load he carried silently. He loved Jack and he would never trade having a son for anything in the world but still the overwhelming need to protect him kept him up on more than just a few nights. And the night that he came home and she was gone he knew then too, he'd known it when he walked out the front door that she wouldn't be there when he came back. But what was he supposed to do? He had tried to give it up but each night he fought them in his dreams. He had to protect them, her and Jack, and if that meant that he couldn't be there with them then that would just have to be how it was.

He lay in his bed staring at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head, the memories playing in his head like a movie. The pain of Haley leaving was still strong and using Kate to ease that pain wasn't fair to her or to him, he would have to tread very carefully for it not to be that kind of relationship. He knew that there was something special about her he just wasn't sure that it was his gift to receive. It was obvious that she was interested; it had been so long since an attractive woman had been interested in him. He rolled over and groaned at the digital display on the clock, it was a little after midnight, he only had about four hours before his alarm would be screaming at him he really needed to stop analyzing and get some sleep or he wouldn't have to worry about Kate because his sleep deprived personality would send her running the other direction.

Hotch looked at his watch for the hundredth time that morning and it was only 4:53 am. It was going to be a long day if it continued as it started. He was waiting downstairs of his apartment for Kate. Why was he so anxious this was just breakfast not like it was a real date. She had asked him, why would she _not_ show up. He could think of plenty of reasons but she wouldn't be aware of any of them, _yet._ He turned back as the elevator dinged signaling the doors were about to open. She really was beautiful, the way her dark hair framed her face gave her an angelic look with eyes so deep that to the untrained eye would look so innocent. Hotch could see the tiny lines that creased around them giving away the horrors that they had seen in her work.

She smile, "Good morning, are yo_u _always early?"

Hotch laughed, "It gives me an advantage in this line of work, you wouldn't just be jealous since I'd bet that you are usually the early one?"

"Very good Agent Hotchner, it's no wonder you are the team leader." She laughed with him. "So where should we eat?"

"Well there's this little dinner that's kind of on the way, I eat a lot of my meals there lately."

"I have to pick Tony up on my way so do you want to take separate vehicles?"

Jealousy rose up in Hotch's chest surprising him with the intensity. Tony Dinozzo was her partner just like Emily and JJ were his team. And, from what he had seen yesterday she handled the Agents constant flirting quite well. She gave it back to him as good as she got. "We'll take my SUV and swing by and get him and then I have to grab Garcia and JJ too."

Kate look surprised at the change in his tone of voice but didn't question him just followed out to the still dark parking lot.

They talked about their jobs and the other members of their team on the way. Conversation flowed easily for the two of them. Hotch held the door to the dinner open and as she passed by him he was graced with that now familiar smile of hers. He also caught the scent of her shampoo from her hair swinging around her shoulders. It had a slightly sweet fruity smell not sickly sweet just enough to leave him wanting more.

Kate ordered coffee with bacon eggs over easy and toast, Hotch just asked for the same afraid that he wouldn't be able to for a coherent sentence for the waitress.

"So tell me, why do you still wear your wedding band if you and your wife are getting divorced?"

Kate saw his eyes darken frighteningly fast, "I'm sorry that, that's none of my business, you don't have to answer that."

Hotch looked down at his hands folded on the table in front of him. "Honestly, I don't know why, from the profiler's point of view it would signal that I am clinging to something that I can't have anymore and maybe that's true but I really just hadn't given it any thought."

When he looked back up at her his eyes were softer and Kate could see the honesty in them and also the warning. He wasn't able to make her any promises in this, especially right now. But she hung on to his gaze hers never faltering trying to show him that she understood what he was telling her and that she would be there when he was ready to talk about it.

The waitress stepped up to serve their breakfast and the spell was broken, Kate thanked her and went about buttering her toast hoping that her pulse would return to normal soon.

Hotch was almost breathless, she had looked at him reading everything that he wasn't saying out load in his eyes and understanding his need to keep quiet. She had reassured him that she was aware of his emotional state and would be patient. This was going to be a good day after all he thought with a smile.

"So what is 'Kate' short for?" Hotch asked breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen in the car on their way to pick up Tony.

"Caitlin, but most people just call me Kate; except for my Dad he always called me Katie." She replied almost shyly Hotch thought.

He dropped the subject and Kate gave him the directions to Tony's house. Once the eccentric Agent was in the vehicle the mood changed, there were no more comfortable silences and no more personal conversation between him and Kate. It made Hotch begin to look forward to the end of the day when they would be alone again.


	6. Chapter 6

It was another long day but this time at least they dug out some productive leads to follow. The combined teams had a pretty good idea which hospital the UNSUB was going after next, and they were attempting to work out a strategy on catching the guy.

"Ok so Morgan you and McGhee will work the delivery angle, if it's coming in on their supply order we need to find it before it gets to the hospital."

"Got it Boss." McGhee answered and began gathering his equipment.

"Morgan, you guys keep us posted on what's going on in that truck." Hotch added to the instructions that Gibbs had given the two.

"We will and you guys be careful, we don't know that this thing is coming in on the truck, it could be hand delivered."

Hotch just nodded sternly. "Emily you Reid and Tony will be canvassing the parking lot outside the ER, look for anyone who matches the profile we've given, again be careful this guy has nothing to lose"

Emily was already headed to the elevator. "Yep"

He looked at Kate who was holstering her weapon, "you ready for this?"

She nodded her eyes never leaving his assuring him that she was, that she was nervous but ready.

Gibbs didn't miss the long distance communication between his Caitlin and the dark headed special agent. He didn't have to be one of those fancy mind readers to see that there was chemistry going on between the two of them. He ought to know what that look meant, it was the same way he used to look at Jenny, now _director_ Shepherd. "Ok let's go we are wasting time." As he walked past Kate he gave her a warning look, she read it and ducked her head.

The three of them headed over to the hospital; keeping a constant communication with the other members of the combined teams. So far they'd had no luck finding the source of how the explosive device was getting into the hospital. Kate, Hotch, and Gibbs entered the ER through the front doors and split up, Kate and Hotch walking around the waiting area and Gibbs going over to speak quietly with the middle aged woman sitting behind the glass window at check in. They had made the decision not to evacuate the hospital because they wanted to catch the guy when he delivered it and he would know something was up.

They had been there a couple of hours when a man dressed in florist delivery uniform walked in the front door. Kate caught Hotch's eye from across the room and nodded slightly, she radioed to Gibbs that they had a suspect entering the ER and they were approaching him for questioning.

Kate and Hotch sidled up to the guy on each side and Hotch flipped open his badge and directed the guy to the outside of the building. They reached the parking lot, the guy was clueless and Hotch was not convinced that he was their UNSUB but they had to be sure. Kate tried to radio Gibbs again and still got no answer. "I'm going to go find him." She said with a little frustration.

Kate hadn't quite gotten to the front of the building when it exploded.

Hotch watched as she was thrown in the air and back towards where he and the delivery man were standing. Things were moving in slow motion, he ran to where Kate had landed and knelt down next to her. He knew that other people were gathering around him and he thought that one of the voices speaking to him was Emily. But Hotch couldn't understand what they were saying. He just knew that Kate was bleeding and that he had to stop it somehow. He pressed his hand against her abdomen; the wound wasn't as bad as it looked originally but bad enough.

He stroked her hair leaning over until he was right above her face, "Katie you cannot leave me! Do you understand? You have to be strong; I know that you are, so now you have to fight. Do you hear me?"

He had shut his eyes trying to hold the tears back so when he felt a vibration under his hand his eyes popped back open in surprise.

"I think you own me a steak dinner for getting me blown up." She laughed weakly at him.

Hotch smiled at this "You think do you? Well I might even throw in a movie if you're really good for the doctors. For some reason I have a feeling that you can be a very frustrating patient." He laced his fingers through hers.

Suddenly her eyes grew very large and Hotch watched the panic come over her. "Where's Gibbs I was headed in after him?! He was in the ER! Oh Aaron he has to be ok!"

"It's ok, I'm right here, and I'm fine." A gruff voice behind him said.

Gibbs knelt down next to Hotch "its' ok Caitlin the doctors are here to take care of you now."

"Don't worry Katie; we're going to find this guy. I promise!" Hotch gently squeezed her small hand in his.

Gibbs took in the whole thing, he heard him call her Katie and the things that he'd said to her about fighting and not leaving him. He knew that there was more going on here than even the two of them realized. He and Kate were going to have a talk as soon as she was well.

Hotch wearily walked into the hospital, he knew that visiting hours were over but he had to see her. Even if she was sleeping just needed to see her with his own two eyes and know that she really was ok. He was hoping that his FBI badge would get him past the night nurse on duty. It wasn't as easy as he had thought but eventually she let him go in.

He wasn't prepared for the emotions that coursed through his body when he saw her laying there. She looked so small and frail, so not like she had just that morning when they were strapping on weapons at NCIS.

"Hey." A small voice came from the bed.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you. I just want to make sure you are alright."

"It's ok you didn't wake me, I've been laying here in the dark so that the dragon night nurse will leave me alone."

Hotch chuckled softly, "I knew you would be a stubborn patient." He laughed out loud at the "humph" that came from the bed.

"So did you get the guy?" Kate pushed herself up in the bed grimacing in discomfort.

Hotch moved to help her to a more reclined position, "yeah we got him, Morgan and McGhee pulled in right after the explosion and saw a guy in scrubs running from the hospital. They thought it odd that a hospital employee would be fleeing from a trauma, so the caught up to him and to make a long story short found explosive residue on his clothes and hands. Once we checked him out we found all kinds of goodies at his residence."

He saw her visibly relax as he recounted the events in catching the hospital bomber. "You shouldn't be worrying about the case right now; you should just be focused on getting better."

"I'm really fine, I got thirteen stitches and some glue in the cuts on my face but the doctors say I can go home day after tomorrow."

They heard a commotion coming from out in the hall, but before Hotch could move to check out what was going on the door to Kate's room opened and Gibbs walked in followed closely by the dragon night nurse.

Gibbs looked at Hotch and then walked right past him to stand next to Kate's bed; the nurse just threw her hands in the air and walked back out the door muttering something under her breath about FBI and surgeons being just alike.

"Gibbs what did you do to the dragon night nurse?" Kate asked with a giggle.

He ignored her question asking one of his own. "How do you feel Caitlin?"

"I'm fine really Gibbs."

Hotch cleared his throat reminding them that he was still in the room, "Um I'm going to head home Kate I will uh talk to you later." He reached down and squeezed her hand.

"Ok, thanks for stopping by Agent Hotchner" She had a smirk on her face as she called him by his professional name.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok guys heres the latest chapter. I hope you enjoy please please please review!! It really does help me to write faster when I know that you are enjoying it. :) **

* * *

"Gibbs, before you say anything…" Kate was cut off

"I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into Kate." Gibbs was stern but Kate knew that he was only saying it because he cared.

She laughed. "It's not like I'm about to run off and marry the guy we just uh have a lot in common."

She stopped talking when she saw that she was getting the 'Gibbs look' as she and Tony had named it.

"So tell me how you miraculously got out of the hospital?"

"I ended up walking up to the front of the hospital where admissions were and the gift shop when I heard your transmission, it was closer to walk the outside of the hospital back to where you were in the parking lot than all the way back through the hospital."

"You could have answered my call." She said with a laugh.

"Didn't think it really mattered, figured you guys were tied up with the delivery guy." Gibbs put his hand over hers and looked down where she could no longer see his eyes. When he looked back up Kate could have sworn that his eyes were wet, but it was hard to tell in the dim room.

"I'm sorry Kate, if I had answered you, you wouldn't have gone back inside that building."

Kate was shocked, had she just heard Gibbs apologize? She reached over with her other hand and covered their two on the bed. "Gibbs did you just break a rule?"

Gibbs just smiled at her and extracted his hand gently; he brushed the hair back from her face and leaned over to press his lips to her forehead. If it he was ten years younger he would probably be breaking more than just that rule.

Gibbs left the room without another word.

Kate just smiled, exhaustion was taking over and she knew that she would be asleep in a matter of minutes.

Hotch reached the apartment long after dark, he couldn't believe that just this morning he had been leaving to eat breakfast with Kate. Now she lay in the hospital after getting blown up, on his watch no less. Sometimes it felt like his life was out of control.

The way he felt when he saw her laying there on the ground he blood all over the pavement, it scared him more than he wanted to admit even to himself. They had known each other for a matter of days, why did he feel this strongly about her this quickly?

Hotch made a beeline for the shower, he just needed to clear his head so he could think all of this through. He stood there for what seemed like an hour just letting the water run over his face. By the time he got out the hot water had run out and he had come to no conclusions on what to do, but he was relaxed. The heat from the shower had sucked the last bit of energy left in his body; it was all he could do to get dressed and fall into bed, hoping for a few hours of dreamless sleep.

The next day was filled with mindless paperwork and debriefings from the bomber case. It looked like they were going to have a few slow days before having to head off on the next one. So Hotch had told the team to take off early that afternoon and spend some time unwinding. Days like this didn't happen often and he had learned early on that as a leader he had to take advantage of them for the sake of his team.

He looked up at the clock on his desk as he closed the file he'd been working on. It was time to go, he had been forcing himself to not think about her all day it was time to indulge himself he thought with a smile.

Hotch went home, changed clothes and dialed the number for the hospital asking for Kate's room number. His heart did a funny little beat when her voice came over the line. She sounded bored and frustrated.

"Hey. How's your day going?"

"Oh hey Hotch, I am going out of my mind sitting here all day!"

Hotch laughed thinking that Kate in the hospital was like caging a tiger. "Well I thought I come by a visit, do you want me to bring anything from your place when I come?"

"Do you mind I would love to have some of my own sweats and my laptop and some dvds…."

"Hold on I think I might need to make a list." Hotch said laughing out loud now.

He wrote down everything she asked for and then hung up and went to gather the items she'd told him. It crossed his mind that a lesser man might have taken advantage of being alone in her apartment, but he only looked in the place she had told him and did his best to honor her trust in him.

"I come bearing gifts." Hotch announced knocking on the door.

"Have I told you how much I love gifts?" Kate said with a giggle. "Thank you so much for bring my stuff from the house, Tony offered but I don't trust him in my apartment alone."

Hotch dropped the bag in the corner of the room and then showed her what else he had brought.

"Chinese food, you are the best Agent Hotchner."

He smiled at her enthusiasm, she had told him absently once that she had quite an addiction to the food so he'd snuck it in to the hospital for her tonight.

"So are they going to let you go home in the morning?"

"I think so; the doctor said that as long as my stitches didn't look like they were in danger of infection then I would be free to go."

"I can pick you up if you want, take you home."

"Don't you have to work?"

"We are in between cases right now and I am the boss, so I can take an hour or so off to get you settled back in at home."

"Thanks I'm looking forward to getting home to my own bed." She sighed

Hotch smiled, "Have they let you get up to walk around yet?"

"Only to go to the bathroom, not to roam the halls or anything, I can only go out of the room if I take a ride in the chair over there." Kate gestured to the wheelchair in the corner.

"Well if you want, when you finish eating we can take ride around the place."

Kate smiled shyly, "That would be nice, thank you." She ducked her eyes, unable to meet his gaze any longer. When she did look up to her eyes met with his piercing blue ones as he studied her intently.

"Hotch…"

"Please Kate call me Aaron."

"Ok Aaron." She tested how his name felt on her tongue. The air in the room had suddenly gotten thick.

"You ready for that ride?"

"Yeah I am more than ready to get out of here for a while, let's go."

Aaron moved to help her sit up in the bed and as she swung her legs over the edge Aaron wheeled the chair over as close as he could get it.

He took her hand in his and grasped her elbow with his other bracing her.

Kate grimaced her feet hit the ground and she tried to straighten up. She got about halfway there.

Aaron noticed the too big NCIS sweats that she was wearing under the hospital gown."Those yours?" he asked with a smile, gesturing to the pants.

"No, Gibbs dropped them off for me earlier today; he knew I was miserable in this stupid gown."

"Yeah I didn't think that they were yours" He laughed.

He settled her into the chair but when he went to release her hand she held on.

"Did you take it off just because I said something?" Kate asked holding up his left hand that was conspicuously missing the ring from his left finger.

"No, well yes actually, but not in the way you think. What you said just got me to thinking; I decided that it was time to stop pretending. What Haley and I had was wonderful and amazing but it's over and she has definitely moved on so I should too."


	8. Chapter 8

"Knock, knock." Hotch peeked in the doorway of Kate's room. "Hey you ready to get out of here?"

"More then you can know." Kate smiled secretly admiring him dressed in his usual black suit and contrasting red tie. Suddenly self conscious about her appearance she ran her fingers through her hair and pulled it up into a messy pony tail.

"Are you all set, release papers and everything?"

"You make it sound like I'm getting out of prison."

"It kinda feels like it though, doesn't it?"

"Yeah but still." Kate laughed.

"Alright here we go." Hotch said swinging her bag over his shoulder and spun the wheelchair around to head out the door.

Once they were settled in the SUV and on their way back the apartment building Kate felt like she could finally relax. It felt like she had been in that room for weeks instead of just two days. She couldn't wait for her own bed!

Hotch glanced over at her and smiled "What are you grinning about?"

"I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, on sheets made from cotton!"

Hotch laughed out loud "I don't blame you; I haven't had a good night sleep since I moved into this apartment and got this new bed."

He saw Kate's expression change, the smile never left her face but it did her eyes, Hotch knew it was the fact that he'd indirectly brought Haley into the conversation. Why did he seem to bring up his failed marriage every time they were together?

"So do you have to go back to work?"

"Yeah for a little but I thought I would bring something for dinner back with me tonight if that's good with you."

"You don't have to do that, you have already more than made up for getting me blown up Aaron."

They had pulled into the parking lot, Hotch turned to face her. "Kate this has nothing to do with my feeling guilty. I never like to see anyone hurt and I would never knowingly put you or anyone else in the position to get hurt but Kate I have been doing this for too long to let guilt take hold of me. Please don't take that to mean I don't care." He reached out and took her hand in his. "But I don't want you to think that I am doing any of this out of some sort of obligation. I do it because with you I feel like I can be myself outside of work, I don't have to pretend to be someone who's never seen the horrors of the world."

The serious look on Hotch's face almost scared Kate, so she focused on his eyes where she could see the openness of his words. She was not a woman easily intimidated but some of the expressions this guy had could rival Gibbs.

She squeezed his hand in hers, "Thank you, for all of this and I enjoy your company as well."

"Alright now that, all of that is out of the way, let's get you settled inside and I will get myself back to work." Hotch said releasing her hand to get out.

"Ok is there anything else I can get for you before I go?"

"Aaron I'm fine I can move around a little and I have everything I might need within reach." Kate said irritably. She was ready to sleep and he was beginning to hover. But she could see the genuine concern in his face. "Go back to work I'm worn out, I will probably sleep most of the afternoon anyway. But don't forget about me tonight, I don't think there is a single thing to eat in this whole place." She laughed trying to feed into his want to be needed.

Hotch was nervous about leaving her there all alone but he really needed to get out of her bedroom, it was just a little too close to intimate for his comfort. "Ok I'm going I should be off by five thirty no later than six. Just e-mail me a list of what you want from the store and I will pick it all up on the way home." A wave of dizziness came over him, it was like déjà vu. He'd said the same thing to Haley so many times before. He really needed to get out of here and clear his head, now!

As Hotch reached the front door he heard Kate call from the bedroom.

"Hey Aaron grab the extra set of keys so you can lock me in here and you won't have to wait for me to hobble to the door tonight and let you in."

"Ok call me if you anything happens, see you tonight." He called back and hurried out the door tuning the key in the lock behind him. Hotch closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the door; he stood there for a moment just catching his breath. He was usually so _in control _what was wrong with him lately? It was all just too surreal for him to comprehend right now.

When he got back to the BAU Hotch locked himself in his office and tried to work on paperwork but every few minutes he was looking at the clock. After an hour and a half of this misery he finally got up and went to the break room for coffee, or maybe he should just make a cup of tea, he sure didn't need caffeine to add to his jittery mood.

JJ was sitting at the table stretching out her body as much as was possible in the plastic chair, when Hotch walked in.

"Hey."

"Hey JJ how are you feeling?"

"Good, what about you? I hear you made a new friend over at NCIS." She said smiling mischievously at him over her own tea cup.

"Rumors travel fast." Hotch said pulling out the chair across from her and sitting down. "How's the baby. You've only got a couple of months left right?"

JJ laughed. "Ok I'll go along with the change in subject; I had my first ultrasound this morning."

"Wow I remember that, it was amazing to see Jack for the first time. Did you find out if it's a girl or a boy?"

She reached into her bag, "Here take a look for yourself." She slid the pictures across the table to him. "You should have seen Reid's face when I showed them to him."

"I can only imagine. Looks like a boy but these things are not easy to read." Hotch smiled

"Yea he is, we've decided on the name Henry, well using the term decided loosely."

"I remember trying to pick out names with Haley, I don't think we'd made a firm decision until Jack was born so don't let that stress you out."

"He's active this little guy." JJ said rubbing her belly "he kicks me until I feel like I am bruised from the inside out."

Hotch laughed out loud. "Well if that's the worst of our concerns then I think you are doing very well."

"There he goes again, you want to feel it?" She stood up and moved to stand next to his chair, grinning from ear to ear.

JJ took Hotch's hand in hers and placed it on her abdomen; he could feel the movement of the baby underneath his fingers. Again Hotch found himself with the feeling of déjà vu. "You're right he is an active one."

JJ saw the flash in Hotch's eyes, "you know I'm here if you decide that you want to talk."

"I know JJ, no offense but I'm not ready to try and put it into words yet, but thank you."

The two of them had grown close since she'd told them about the baby; they had something in common that none the other members of the team could share in. Hotch was glad to have a friend that he could trust and wanted nothing from him in return.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ok here is my latest chapter. I prob wont update again this week, I am working twelve and thirteen hour shifts for the holidays but I am still writing. It is getting harder and harder to keep on character with Hotch. My pet peeve is not keeping them true to character and how they would act but I dont have a lot to go on with him b/c we dont see a much of him outside of the BAU so please let me know if it seems way off. I need corrective critisism please. I hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving!**

Hotch smiled as he read the e mail from Kate on his computer later, it was almost incoherent. She must have taken pain pills and then written it. The thought that she had needed the pills bothered Hotch more than he was willing to admit even to himself. He typed a quick message back and then printed out the list to take with him to the store later. From what he could translate the rest of the message was something about hoping that he had a good afternoon. She had succeeded in bringing a smile to his face at least.

A knock on the door brought Hotch out of his fog of paperwork.

"Hey"

"Hey you headed out?" Hotch asked Emily

"Yeah, we're going to grab dinner, want to come with?"

"Umm thank you but I've got to finish up here and then I'm going by the store to pick up a few things."

"Oh ok, well don't stay here all night Sir." Emily said with a nervous laugh.

"Hey Prentiss," Hotch called out before she could close the door behind her. "Thank you for the invitation I will take you guys up on it one day."

"Ok Sir any time you're free." Emily didn't seem to know how to respond to his comment.

After she closed the door Hotch leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair, absently thinking that it was time for a haircut. He'd have to take care of that this weekend while he had some time off.

"ok I'm leaving." Hotch announced to the empty room as he shut down the laptop and packed it away in his bag. He was taking a stack of work home with him but didn't have a lot of hope that it would get finished, his hope was that Haley would have pity on him and let him see Jack this weekend since the odds of the team being off two weekends in a row were slim.

Hotch struggled with bags into the elevator, he was trying not to have to make a second trip but was regretting the choice now. Haley had always done the shopping so carrying grocery bags was a new experience for him anyway, with a sigh he dropped everything in the floor waiting for the doors to open on his floor. The stress was wearing on him it had been a long time since he had been this tired mentally when he wasn't even coming off a case.

The elevator doors opened and he slid a gallon of milk to hold it open while he carried the remaining bags the short way to his apartment door. When he finally had all of it out of the elevator he allowed the doors to close and then began shifting everything into his living room. Shoving the cold and frozen items in their respective places, Hotch wanted nothing more than a shower and comfortable clothes so that he could take Kate's things to her place.

Feeling more like 'Aaron' and less like 'Hotch' in his running shoes and jeans with an old FBI t-shirt as he set the Kate's things into an empty moving box that was still sitting in his bedroom floor. It was a whole lot easier to carry everything to her in the box than the way he'd carried it up.

Aaron set the box down in front of Kate's door to fish the keys out of his pocket, finding the right one he quiet put it in the lock and turned. He hoped that she was still sleeping so that he could put the things away and get dinner fixed for her.

At first glance the kitchen looked as if someone had broken in and ransacked it, but the living room was still immaculate the way it had been when he'd left it. Setting the things down on the island Aaron looked around trying to decide what had happened in there. Not hearing any noise he moved down the hallway to Kate's room, his had moved unconsciously to where his weapon would normally be holstered indicating his unease.

The door was slightly ajar so Aaron tipped it open with the toe of his shoe, after a second his eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room and he could make out Kate's slim figure in the bed on her side. Satisfied that she was fine he made his way back to the kitchen to clean up the mess.

When he saw the broom on the floor and the items out of the cabinets on the counters and spilled on the floor it dawned on Aaron what had happened. Kate couldn't yet stretch out her body completely or bend over to reach the floor so she had been trying to improvise with the broom handle swiping at the items in the cabinet that she wanted. It gave Aaron an idea though, he opened all the doors and drawers and mentally begin making a list.

Aaron was so engrossed in putting the finishing touches on his big surprise that he didn't even hear Kate when she quietly entered the kitchen an hour later. She stood propped against the doorframe watching him move about in her kitchen for a few minutes before making a noise to alert him to her presence.

"Oh hey your awake, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay just groggy, I have to take some pills this afternoon, hey you didn't have to clean up my mess I made in here."

"I um, well I thought that it would make it easier if things that you use a lot were within reach, I hope you don't mind I kind of rearranged… what do you think?" He moved aside allowing her to see what he'd done.

"Wow no I don't mind thank you that was really thoughtful. I guess you figured out what happened then huh?"

"It was no problem just wanted you to be able to reach things easily without the help of the broom." He said with a teasing grin.

"Yeah thanks for that." Kate replied sarcastically.

"So what's for dinner, I'm starving since you left me here all afternoon with no food." Kate said with a playful punch in the shoulder.

'Yeah well I'm making up for it now." Aaron lifted the lid to the pot simmering on the stove top. "It's my mother's chicken and dumplings recipe, I thought it would be good tonight and they say chicken soup cures everything, right?"

"I think it's the flu that chicken soup cures but I don't care it smells wonderful so I'm sure it won't hurt." Kate breathed in deeply. "Who knew you could cook."

"Hey now just because I'm a man doesn't mean that all I can do is fire a weapon and catch bad guys."

"Yeah and just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I can cook so I guess we're even."

Hotch laughed, "I kinda figured you couldn't cook."

"Why's that?"

"Because you have a freezer full of tv dinners and quick meals, nothing that suggest you have ever cooked a whole meal in this kitchen ever."

"You know I could take offense, but being that it is true I won't" Kate moved to stand in front of Aaron; she was a little under a foot shorter than him. "But just remember payback is hell."

Aaron looked down on her grinning, "Oh yeah? Guess I will just have to watch my back."

"Now you just sound like DiNozzo."

Aaron thought about that comment, it wasn't in his work character to flirt with women like Agent DiNozzo or even as subtle as Morgan was, but that was just what was going on here. Kate seemed challenged by the fact that he was reserved, as if it was her job to draw him out of himself.

He stared down at her and she didn't back down from his gaze, challenging him to open himself up to her.

"You ready to eat?" He turned towards the stove again, backing down from their silent battle.

"Starved." Aaron knew that Kate was disappointed in him for changing the subject but he also knew that she would be patient with him; at least she had so far. He just hoped that he could work out his issues before she left him like Haley had.

**A/N: I dont want to drag this out but I dont think Hotch would jump into something without thinking it through, please please please review and let me know what you think.**

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

**So here's the latest I hope everyones still enjoying this story I feel like I am dragging it out. Let me know if its getting to long. Review review review**

* * *

"I'll wash dishes since you cooked and cleaned up after me tonight already one time."

"Um how about we do it together, I'm not sure that you're up to doing dishes yet." Aaron laughed.

"I know that by the time I get back to work I'm going to be so lazy that Gibbs won't even want me back."

"I doubt that, from where I was standing he was pretty worried about you the other day; I'd say that you're an integral part of the team."

"I know Gibbs cares, he just has a funny way of showing it most of the time." Kate stared into her empty bowl.

Aaron turned the water on to fill the sink with hot soapy water as Kate slowly straitened from her sitting position. Aaron's first instinct was to help her but he knew how independent she was and that she wouldn't welcome him mothering her. So he turned his back and started scrubbing the bowl he'd eaten out of, he could restrain himself from helping her but he wasn't able to stand there and watch her struggle. She smiled at him when she finally made it with her bowl to where he was standing at the sink.

"I think you might be right about not ready to do dishes yet, have I told you how much I appreciate all you are doing?"

Aaron smiled and took her bowl, "why don't you go sit down in the living room, it won't take me but a minute to finish up here."

"Ok, just the dishes you are by no means allowed to clean anything else, it can wait."

He nodded as Kate moved slowly out of the room.

Aaron found her a few minutes later on the couch, several DVDs on the table in front of her, "What would you like to start, I haven't able to stay awake through a whole movie since college and that is without the painkillers in my system."

"I don't care, you pick."

"You do know that it is dangerous to let the girl pick the movie, I might be a federal agent that can't cook but I'm still a girl so it will inevitably be a chick flick."

"I'll take my chances, you pick and I will put it in the player."

Ok don't say you weren't warned. I like this one it's my favorite."

Aaron looked at the case she handed him and tried not to grimace, she had warned him this was definitely a chick flick.

"The Notebook, I haven't seen this one. My um Haley uh wanted me to watch it with her but I never got a chance."

There it was again, and he was doing so well up until now.

Aaron figured that his best option at this point was to just stop talking and put the disc in the player.

He grabbed a throw from the back of the chair and draping it over her feet and legs he sat down at the opposite end of the couch. Trying to put some distance between them in this intimate situation, he didn't trust himself anymore.

Aaron watched as Kate snuggled into the blanket he'd given her and turn full on her side in a more comfortable position with her stitches.

"This had better be good missy or your toast."

Kate laughed, he had grown to enjoy her laugh in the few short days of being with her, and found that he purposely did or said things to elicit one from her.

They settled in, watching the movie in silence, Aaron found himself actually enjoying it. Kate, who was still lying on her side with her knees up, curled into a fetal position started to stretch out a little. Aaron jumped when her foot accidentally brushed against his thigh. He looked over at her sharply, a little too sharply he figured when he saw that the look on Kate's face was as if she was holding her breath.

Aaron forced a gentle smile and reached out to take her foot in his hand. "Are you uncomfortable, here stretch out across my lap."

Kate's expression showed surprise but she allowed him to move her legs and feet into his lap, his hand resting gently on her bare ankle. Aaron's thumb absently rubbed back and forth against her skin causing shivers to run up Kate's spine.

He felt her shudder next to him, "Are you cold?"

"No just ticklish." Kate answered glancing down at his hand on her foot.

Aaron looked down at his lap and her slender feet with the white polish on her toe nails.

"Oh I'm sorry."

Trying to control the urge to take her foot in his hand and rub it between his fingers, he was saved when she swung them out of his reach.

"I have to use the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Aaron stood to his feet offering her his hand so she could stand without putting too much strain on her stitches.

"Oh I hate being such an invalid." She groaned as she straitened.

Kate stumbled forward two steps and fell onto Aaron's barrel chest, "Kate you're not an invalid."

He was still holding both her hands in his own, this was as close to physical contact that they had ever had and he didn't move to allow her to step away.

Aaron's heart hammered in his chest, "When, when I saw you laying there on the pavement the other day…..I…. I just thought that….." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm ok Aaron, I promise,"

He closed his eyes and pulled her into his arms, everything in his brain screaming that he shouldn't be here that he was wrong for holding her. However, at the same time, it all felt so right, and he couldn't bring himself to walk away.

After a few seconds, Kate wrapped her arms around his waist, and relaxed into his chest.

Aaron was overwhelmed with the thought that she could have died that day, why had that hit him all of the sudden like that. Why was he standing here holding a woman that he really barely knew, why was she letting him?

He stepped back to where he could face her. "Kate, I am not used to not being in control, and when I'm with you it seems as if I have no control. I don't want to hurt you but I'm not good at letting my feelings out, I always put the BAU above everything else. It is why I am about to sign divorce papers, it is why I only get to see my four year old son once every other week."

When he paused, she looked up into his eyes, knowing that she would be able to see him there exposed. Her green eyes flashed with something Aaron couldn't read, and it made him miss the feel of her against him.

Aaron brought his hands up to each side of her face, "I have already hurt too many people because of the fact that I cannot live with myself if I don't fight the monsters, I really don't want to add you to that list."

"Aaron, first of all you have to remember, I fight those same monsters. I could no more quit my job at NCIS than you could leave the BAU. And second….." her face softened under his hands knowing that her words were going to sound harsh her voice lowered to a whisper. "I am not Haley."

She was right, she did understand the horrors of the job, and even more importantly, she understood _why _he put all of his focus on it.

"Caitlin Todd I can't make you any promises, I…I'm not even sure I understand what is going on yet but if you're willing to be patient with me….." He trailed off.

"You think I have all this figured out? The last guy I was involved with was well, let's just say that it didn't end well." She answered him with a rueful laugh.

Aaron's gaze left her eyes to wonder down her nose and rested on her mouth, her lips parted slightly as a gasp escaped from them when he moved his thumb to caress the bottom one.

Oh, how he wanted to kiss her, but that he knew without a doubt was the wrong way to start this.

"I should probably go." He pulled he into his arms again gentle so as not to hurt her injury, and felt her nod against him.

Aaron reluctantly moved away and immediately missed the warmth of her in his arms.

"Katie please understand that I'm not leaving because I want to but because I don't want to start this out the wrong way and like I said earlier I suddenly have little self control around you." The right side of his mouth turn upward and she smiled back at him knowing exactly what he was saying.

Aaron bent down and kissed her forehead, "Goodnight Kate."

"Goodnight"


	11. Chapter 11

**Ok so I know that there are over two hundred of you reading this story so Im begging you please review doesnt have to be long just something............ please I've resorted to begging! lol **

* * *

It had been a long time since Aaron had slept until he woke up on his own, weeks probably. The funny thing was that it wasn't even eight in the morning so the term 'sleeping in' was relative. He was used to being up before five out for a run and then a quick shower, cup of coffee and off to the office. That was the routine when they weren't out on a case, then they mostly just worked around the clock.

He groaned as his feet hit the floor, the memories of the night before swarming back to his mind. Maybe he should keep the running part of his routine, even if it was his one Saturday off in who knew how long.

Grabbing Nike track pants from the drawer and a t-shirt Aaron was dressed a few minutes later he was riding the elevator down to the bottom floor. Running was good for him physically and mentally. Back when the nightmares had first started, he had learned that he could out run them for a little while at least. They always came back but if he ran until he couldn't put one foot in front of the other then he could sleep. It came in handy when he and Haley had disagreed on him staying in the BAU, on mornings when he woke up in the morning his heart still aching from a particularly bad fight the night before he would run. When he returned, his head would be clear enough to try again to get her to see things from his perspective, he understood how she felt but that had never been the issue. The issue was that she couldn't understand how he felt.

Kate understood though, Kate knew what it felt like to fight the monsters during the day that haunted your dreams at night. He thought about her green eyes boring into his last night, he had really wanted to kiss her but he hadn't he had left and gone home to his own apartment, alone. He was supposed to bring over lunch later today , he wanted to be able to keep this openness with her but the only person he had ever really opened himself up to was Haley, and look where that had gotten him.

Okay so that wasn't exactly fair to Haley, he knew that it if wasn't for the BAU that they would still be living happily ever after. However, the fact remained that the FBI wasn't just part of him it _was_ him.

Aaron circled back and started to sprint between light poles, stretching out his stride as far as he could. Ah, it felt good to run by the time he returned to the apartment he was drenched with sweat and ready for a hot shower.

The hot water felt good on his sore muscles and before he was ready for it to be the water was cold. He got out and stood in front of his closet trying to decide on what to wear. Now he knew that there was something wrong with him, Aaron Hotchner did not stress over what to wear. Choosing a pair of khakis and a navy polo shirt, he dressed and left the apartment, wanting to get a haircut before he picked up lunch for Kate.

An hour and a half later Aaron let himself in the door to Kate's apartment, "Knock knock you awake?"

Same as last night Aaron didn't hear a sound coming from anywhere, his pulse quickened.

"Kate are you here?"

Aaron barely heard her call out to him from the living room, "I'm in here Aaron."

His blood ran cold when he saw her lying on the couch almost in the same position as last night.

"Kate what's wrong?" Aaron moved over to kneel beside her.

"I hurt." Kate's eyes were barely open, her cheeks flushed over a pasty white face.

"Did you take some medicine?" Aaron watched her weekly nod at him in response.

He placed a hand on her forehead and was not surprised to find her running a fever, "Kate I need to look at your stomach ok?"

When he didn't get a response Aaron moved the blanket down and lifted her shirt just enough to take the gauze off her stitches, the skin around them was bright red and hot to the touch.

"Caitlin, I am taking you to the hospital, do you understand?"

She had fallen asleep or passed out Aaron wasn't sure which one he preferred at this point. He grabbed what he assumed was her ready bag from beside the door and cell phone off the table. With surprising ease, he lifted her off the couch into his arms and moved as quickly as he could downstairs to his SUV. Fifteen minutes later, he was pulling up in front of the ER with a screech. Aaron carried her inside the same way that he'd carried her out of the apartment, getting more and more worried every second that she stayed unconscious.

"I'm FBI agent Aaron Hotchner, this is Agent Caitlin Todd, she was wounded in the line of duty her wound has become infected and she is unconscious." Aaron told the nurse at the window, he didn't like throwing the FBI weight around when it wasn't business but in this situation, he felt that it he was justified.

"Right through here Agent Hotchner." The nurse directed him into a room and he gently place Kate on the stretcher, and stepped back allowing the doctors and nurses swarm around her.

"Agent Gibbs, this is Aaron Hotchner from the FBI."

"_I know who you are Agent Hotchner, what I don't know is why you are calling me on Saturday."_

"I am calling because I just brought Kate to the ER at Bethesda; she is running a fever and was unconscious when I left her."

"_I'll be right there."_

Aaron heard the line click off, well that went well. He knew that Gibbs didn't like him, but then again he didn't seem to like anyone especially anyone in the FBI. He also knew that it would have been worse if he hadn't called him at all.

"Agent Hotchner, you can come back now, she is asking for you."

Aaron followed the nurse back to where Kate was lying on the bed still just as pale but her eyes were open and she looked more alert.

"Hey Katie, you gave me quite a scare. I remember you promising me that you were fine last night, how will I ever be able to trust you again?" He smiled down at her.

Kate laughed weekly, "I can see your point, is there anything I can do to earn back your faith in me."

Aaron could physically feel the relief at hearing her banter back with him she was definitely feeling better. He took her hand in his and gave it a small squeeze, "why didn't you call me Kate, before you passed out?"

"When I woke up I was hurting so bad I just swallowed a pill and tried to go back to sleep. I didn't realize that I was running a fever, the next thing I remember is waking up when I heard you come in, and after that it's all black."

"That's because you passed out, I had to carry you to the car."

"Caitlin Todd, what is going on here?"

"Gibbs, what are you doing here?"

"Your Agent Hotchner here called me and told me that you had passed out."

Both Kate and Gibbs now looked at Aaron, "I had to call him, Kate, you know I did."

"You're darn right you did, now is somebody going to tell me what is going on."

"Um I believe I can help with that, I am Miss Todd's doctor." The doctor was a small framed older man with glasses and soft expression.

"Miss Todd does have a severe infection but we have started her on aggressive IV antibiotics and fluids, she should be fine in a couple of hours, and she will need to rest for a while. Miss Todd I will be back to check on you in a little while, but if you need anything just call one of the nurses."

"Thank you doctor." Kate wasn't sure that she wanted to be alone with these two overprotective men in the tiny hospital room.


	12. Chapter 12

**Well here it is I have worked long and hard on this chapter and I am really worried about how it all came out so please let me know if you like it.......**

* * *

Aaron held on to Kate's arm as they once again made their way up the elevator to her apartment. "I bet you think I'm an invalid now don't you?"

Aaron laughed as she leaned heavily against him; he was getting light headed from the nearness of her. The two of them finally made their way inside and he got Kate situated back on the couch.

"You just stay put, I'm going to get some plates and we will eat in here." Aaron ordered.

"Yes sir Agent Hotchner." She grinned up at him.

Aaron returned with their food, and sat down next to her.

"Hey" Aaron turned to face her.

"You got a haircut." Kate said reaching up to run her fingers through his closely cropped hair. "It's nice, I like it short like this."

Her eyes dropped from his hair to meet his eyes and she froze seeing the intensity in them. Her breath caught in her throat from the closeness of him.

Aaron's hand came up to rest on her cheek, almost in slow motion his mouth lowered towards hers; he was a mere centimeters away from touching and paused.

Kate looked at him curiously, her hand moved to the back of his head and gently urged his mouth the rest of the way to her own.

Aaron felt as if the everything around them had disappeared, he was hyper aware of the softness of her mouth against his and her fingers running through the hair at the base of his neck, sending heat coursing through his body.

Her lips parted and as if with a mind of its own his tongue move to taste the inside of her mouth, he heard a low moan and was shocked to realize that it was coming from his own throat.

Suddenly the contact with her mouth was not enough he needed to feel her! His hands went to her waist still aware of her stitches, and pulled her closer to him. She came willingly moving until she was practically in his lap pressed into his chest. Aaron broke his mouth away from hers, desperately needing air, he began trailing kisses down her chin and neck to the tender spot behind her left ear.

"Kate"

"Hmmm"

"We have to stop" his teeth were nipping at her ear lobe now.

"You're right," she said knowing that things were going to go too far if they didn't.

She pulled back putting her hands on both sides of his face, anticipating what was coming next.

"I'm sorry Kate that was, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"Aaron Hotchner sometimes doing things impulsively is a _good_ thing, beside if I remember correctly, I kissed you first." She leaned in and pressed her lips to his again, a caress more than a kiss this time. When she pulled back, he was smiling.

Caitlin Todd you are not going to be any good for me." He kissed the tip of her nose and she moved back to sit on the couch again.

"Well we will just have to see about that." She countered with a grin. "For now I'm starving!"

Aaron just grinned and passed her the food, "do you want to watch the end of the movie while we eat?"

"Sure but we don't have to watch The Notebook we can watch something a little more guy-ish if you want."

"No it's fine I was enjoying it actually."

When they had finished eating Aaron hit the pause button and took their dishes to the kitchen, kate passed him in the hallway on the way back to the living room.

"I just have to use the bathroom, I will be right back."

Aaron settled himself back on the couch, what was he thinking? However, it felt so good holding her in his arms, kissing her. It felt as if this was his decisive moment; right now, he could leave never look back. On the other hand, he could relax and just enjoy being with her. Whatever he chose there would be no turning back from this moment; he was either in, or out.

"You didn't have to wait on me." Kate moved slowly back into the room.

"I wasn't going to start back without you." Aaron moved to stretch himself out on the couch and propped his head on his elbow. "You want to lie down here with me?"

She nodded and sat down in front him, "I might fall asleep if I lie down." Kate warned.

"That's ok" he guided her down in front of him and wrapped his arms around her, the smell of her was intoxicating.

It wasn't long before they were both sleeping Aaron's strong arms pulling her tightly against his chest, for Kate it was the first night since the explosion that she had slept without those all too familiar nightmares causing her to sit strait up in bed.

Aaron groaned and attempted to roll over remembering where he was when his back hit the back of the couch. It all came back in a rush, the trip to the hospital, the kiss the movie, and falling asleep on the couch with Kate.

Kate!

She was facing him now, her nose pressed against his chest and fist clutching his shirt as if her life depended on it. Aaron brushed a strand of hair off Kate's face causing her to stir and snuggle closer into his chest. For a long time he just lay there watching her sleep peacefully, for the first time in as long as he could remember, he was content.

"Mmmm" Kate groaned as she began waking up.

"Good morning"

"Hey" Her voice was still thick with sleep. "I told you I would fall asleep"

"Yes you did, but obviously you weren't alone."

"I'm sorry you're probably going to regret sleeping in such a confined space later."

"Not likely" Aaron kissed her lightly. "The better question is how we are going to get ourselves up from here without pulling your stitches out."

For some reason this caused Kate to start giggling uncontrollably, Aaron's laugh was deep in his chest shaking both of them as they lay there together just enjoying the nearness of one another.


	13. Chapter 13

Monday morning dawned early for Aaron; it was time to go back to being Agent Hotchner the profiler. Actually, that wasn't exactly true; he had felt less like a different person when he was with Kate than he had ever felt with Haley.

"Good morning Sir, did you enjoy that weekend off?" JJ greeted him the moment he stepped into the bullpen.

"Somehow JJ, I have a feeling that we are all about to pay for it." Hotch answered with a frown.

"I'm afraid so, as soon as you get settled and everyone's here I'm ready to brief you in the conference room."

"Where are we headed?"

"Looks like Miami but this one is traveling."

"Great! Ok well let me know when everyone's ready, I'll be in my office."

One good thing was coming from all of this; he could put off that meeting with Chief Straus. However, it also meant that he was going to have to say good-bye to Kate a lot, sooner than he wanted to. He should probably go ahead and call her get it over with.

Kate's sleepy voice came on the line after a few rings.

"Hey, I just wanted to call you and let you know that I am leaving, we have a case, I don't know how long I will be gone or when I will be back so……"

"Aaron is there something wrong?"

"No I told you I don't have any choice I have to go."

"I understand that but you don't have to push me away. I am fully aware of the hazards of your job Aaron, same as mine. Just don't insult my intelligence by trying to push me out when you have to go to protect yourself!"

Aaron was shocked at her response, he hadn't even realized that he was doing it, but everything she said was true. She was a profiler after all.

"I'm sorry Kate your right I'm not being fair to you at all." Aaron let his head fall to his hand, this was never going to work he should just give up on relationships all together; he was married to the BAU.

"It's ok I'm not mad I just want you to know that I understand really understand not just saying so to preserve your feelings or whatever."

"Thanks Kate, listen I have to go but this is my cell number, call or text me if you need anything while I'm gone, ok?"

"Ok but Aaron?"

"Yeah"

"What if I don't need anything?"

Aaron grinned like a schoolboy with a crush, "You can still call or text….anytime you want. I will see you as soon as I can get back."

"Bye Aaron, be careful."

"I will" Aaron disconnected the phone just as JJ knocked on the door letting him know that everyone was ready to get started.

"On my way" He grabbed the files off his desk and hurried into the conference room behind her.

Hotch let his headrest against the back of the seat in the jet, this had been an exhausting case. None of them were exactly enjoyable but this one had involved children and he had seen Jack's face in each of the victims. He would be seeing them in his nightmares for weeks to follow.

He was looking forward to sleep in his own bed, a long hot shower, and a visit with Kate. He'd been so busy that he had only been able to talk with her once while they were gone and they had exchanged text a couple of times. Hotch missed the scent of her next to him the softness of her in his arms. Caitlin Todd had definitely gotten under his skin. She had opened his heart up in way that Haley had never been able to do, even the other members of the team had noticed the change in him. Though none of them had made mention of it to his face but he hadn't missed the looks that had been exchanged while on this case.

The plane landed and everyone disbursed each going their separate way, Morgan went down to check on Garcia, ever since she'd been shot he had mothered the tech until Hotch wondered if there was more going on with them than met the eye. He would address that with Morgan another day right now he was just anxious to check his desk for messages and get home.

"Sir" JJ knocked on Hotch's open door.

"Yeah JJ you heading out?"

"On my way, but I just wanted to give you a heads up that I have another case scheduled to brief first thing in the morning."

"Thanks for the warning Jayje"

Hotch looked back down at the case file that he was making notes in thinking that the conversation was over but he was surprised when he soft voice came from just the other side of the desk.

"Sir I just wanted you to know that I appreciate that you have been trying to let us all in a little bit, to see that your human like we are. Um that didn't come out right did it?"

It was unusual to hear JJ stumble over words that was the reason why she was so good at her job, she never faltered, not even under the immense pressure that being the liaison could put on her she always stay strong.

"It's alright Jayje I know what you meant and thank you."

He watched head bob and she turned and went out the door with a small smile.

Aaron let out a sigh as he put the key in the ignition finally going home, he'd called Kate before leaving to see if she was still awake and up to his company. She had assured him that she was, she shyly told him that she had missed him, and that she was craving Chinese food from the little take out place near the apartment. Aaron's hands had shaken when he'd dialed her number all of the sudden worried that she wouldn't want to see him. He didn't really feel the relief until he sat down in the SUV now he just felt exhausted.

This time when Aaron got to the door Kate met him to let him in,

"Hey" Wow she looked even better than he remembered; she was wearing a navy blue t-shirt with NAVY printed across it in yellow letters.

"Hi" Kate ducked her head under his scrutiny shyly, making her all the more attractive to him.

"Come on in, I'm starving."

Aaron moved past her into the apartment, and set the food containers down on the island that divided the kitchen and the den.

"So how was the case" Kate asked pulling plates out of the cabinets, Aaron noticed that she was moving much better than she was before he'd left.

"Um pretty much standard as far as cases go, although I don't ever enjoy ones that involve children, it always has bothered me but even more so now that I have a son."

Kate nodded in understanding, "I can't even imagine how hard that must be for you, it's bad enough when they're not personal."

"I have always been very good at compartmentalizing, but now that I don't go home to Haley and Jack I don't have anyone to protect from myself anymore."

For a second he it didn't click with him how that sounded to her it wasn't until he looked up and took in the expression than he realized she had taken it as if he didn't care about taking care of her. It was only there for a split second and then it was gone, and she was moving to get something out of the refrigerator.

Aaron moved around the counter so that he was standing directly behind her, "Kate, I'm sorry that came out the wrong way."

She straitened but didn't turn around to face him; it was obvious that she was hurt with him. Aaron turned and paced back down the kitchen, one hand on his hip and the other pushing through his hair.

"I should go I guess" Aaron moved to get his jacket off the back of the couch.

Kate knew that if she let him go this way that it would more than likely be the proverbial nail in the coffin of their relationship.

"Aaron, don't shut me out! I am not fragile, I'm not going to break, be honest with me tell me what you really feel but please, please stop comparing me to Haley. I'm sure that she is a wonderful woman although I can't for the life of me; figure out why she would divorce you."

Aaron stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, "I never meant to compare you to her, she was a good wife and a great mother but she doesn't hold a candle to you Katie."

He moved so that he was standing right in front of her and brought his hand up to touch her face. "What I should have said a minute ago is, suddenly I don't have to be two different people, I can be the same person when I am with you that I am when I'm with my team. I can be real with them _and _with you."

He lowered his voice to a whisper, "I don't have to protect you from the horrors of the real world; you are strong enough to understand, to understand me."

Kate looked down unable to meet his eyes, but Aaron tipped her chin up so that he could study her, and was shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"Katie" Aaron whispered, the tears were streaming down her face now. He brought his other hand to her cheek overwhelmed with the emotions he was feeling right then. He felt her hands fist in his light blue shirt underneath his jacket.


	14. Chapter 14

**I know that this chapter is shorter than I try to make mine but I left the last one kinda in a cliff hanger so I was trying to get the next one up quickly and it just felt like that was where it should end. You guys review let me know how you think this relationship should grow......**

* * *

Aaron's felt like his brain had been replaced with cotton, everything moving in slow motion, and then suddenly things were moving way to fast!

He forcefully pressed his mouth to hers barely registering the pain as their lips collided together he didn't care, he was spurred on by the soft moan coming from Kate as her lips parted inviting his tongue in to explore her mouth. Aaron's hands moved from her face to the small of her back, pulling her towards him. She was up on her tiptoes and lost her balance falling gently against his chest causing her to muffle a giggle into his mouth.

Ugh she had to stop being so cute, he was losing control and fast! He brought a hand up to tangle in her at the back of her head and the other one dropped dangerously low of her back. Kate's arms came up to wrap around his neck, causing her t-shirt to raise just enough to expose the soft skin above the waist of her jeans. Aaron's hand found it immediately and trailed his fingers lightly up her spine, a stark contrast to the rough way his mouth was attacking hers, causing her whole body to shiver.

They made their way to the living room bumping into furniture and each other along the way. Aaron sat down on the couch, pulling Kate into his lap she loosened, and removed his tie, she abandoning it along with his jacket over backside of the couch to the floor. It was when her mouth broke loose from his and her tongue made contact with the newly exposed skin at the hollow of his throat that Aaron came undone. It wasn't until Kate's fingers made contact with the skin on his stomach did Aaron realize how close they were t something that neither of them were ready to jump into yet.

"Kate, Katie" Aaron pushed her back by the shoulders so that he could look into her face.

"We need to slow down, I can't, I won't be able to _not_ if we don't stop now!" He watched her face fall, which was quickly followed by an embarrassed duck of her head.

"Kate please don't think that it's because I don't want to, I do. It's because I do that we have to stop." She still couldn't meet his eyes, so he lifted her chin; Aaron needed her to understand him.

Kate stood up and pulled her shirt back down where it met the top of her jeans again and Aaron had to tear his gaze away. He stood and took her hands in his own, bringing her fingers up to his lips, they were soft yet he could feel the strength in her hands.

"I don't want this to be a shallow relationship Kate; I want to know you and you to know me before we complicate things with sex. But you have to understand that I care about you, probably more than I should seeing as how we've only known each other for a week."

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have pushed you into something."

"Caitlin how can I tell you that you didn't if anything I pushed you I kissed you and initiated all of that just now. Haley is the only woman I have ever been with, we started sleeping together before we got married and I always felt like I took something from her that she couldn't ever get back, I know that this is not the same situation but I want this to be perfect I want uncomplicated."

Kate nodded and she looked so vulnerable standing there in front of him, so exposed that he couldn't help but pull her into his arms again This time though he didn't kiss her just held her and enjoyed being with her.

* * *

**Like I said Im sorry it is so short but I promise I will keep working on it but I could really use some motivation please review. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry it took so long for this update everyone, I'm not so good with the casefic but I'm trying, I'm really fighting writers block so any sugestions you have please em to me. thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers. Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Hotch was the first to arrive at work the next morning he'd gotten up gone for his run and showered dressed and left for work. His first stop was into the break room to make coffee, then headed to his office hoping to get his case file finished before JJ was ready to start on the next one this morning. Throwing his jacket over the back he sat pulling a pen out of the drawer went straight to work. It wasn't long until he was lost in reliving the case every gruesome detail, each and every moment had to be documented in detail so that once it went to trial there would not be any reasonable doubt. His past as a prosecuting attorney helped him understand this part better than most. The team had learned early on that theirs had to be up to standard too, Hotch wouldn't hesitate to send them back to be redone with corrections.

Hotch got to the end and before he knew it was sitting pen poised day dreaming about coming home from the case. The events of last night with Kate, he hadn't stayed much longer after their conversation, he knew it would have been too easy to let things go back to where they had been. He was serious about what he'd told Kate, he wanted this to be uncomplicated. His heart needed time to heal and grow with her, his body on the other hand had ideas of its own of what to do with her.

He shook his head trying to clear his mind of those thoughts, JJ would be here soon and he didn't want her reading him the way she seemed to be able to lately. She had been working with profilers too long; she was starting to think like one now without even realizing she was doing it.

Hotch stood to his feet and stretched his arms over his head working the kinks out of his back. He put his jacket on and prepared his things to move into the conference room. When JJ knocked a few minutes later he was ready to go, even greeted her with a smile. Hotch could see the shock on her face as she passed while he held the door open for her. Was he really that bad about not smiling? Judging by the looks he got when he did, he must have been.

"Ok let's get started." JJ was passing out files with all of the case information collected so far.

"This is not the case that I had originally slotted for us today; it came in early this morning by special request from the senator.

Groans were echoed around the table, "Ok guys I hate politics as much as the rest of you but we need to focus on the victim." Hotch nipped the complaints quickly.

"The victim is four year old Joshua; he was abducted last night from the senator's home sometime between midnight and eight am when the mother discovered he was missing. The locals have found no leads no forced entry no prints, all of the family staff has been interviewed and released with no suspects. "

"So if this is not serial why call us in, it sounds like a job for the locals?" Reid asked the obvious question.

"Basically because it is the senator's son and it is an election year so he wants his son back and to be done quickly and quietly so as not to hurt his chances of re-election." Now even JJ sounded a little put out, which was highly unusual.

"So do we have a ransom note or anything stating someone or some group being the responsible ones?"This time Morgan spoke.

""Not yet but it has only been a few hours since he went missing, they have phone lines tapped and tracers set up to track the call when it does come."

Hotch looked at the photograph of little Joshua in his file and thought again of Jack, it had been nearly two weeks since he'd last seen him. They were supposed to get to spend this weekend together if Hotch hadn't had a case, but it looked like it would be next weekend.

His phone started vibrating in his pocket, discreetly pulling it out he smiled when he read the display. Kate was sending him a text message.

_Good morning Aaron, I know you had early meetings today but I wanted to say hello. I hope you have a good day can't wait to see you. ~K_

Hotch knew that if he didn't stop grinning like a fool someone was going to notice him, _Good morning to you too, in that meeting now, looks like a tough case but not an out-of-town one so I will hopefully see you tonight if your still up…._

_I will be….call me ;) ~K_

Hotch smiled again forgetting where he was but quickly recovered and focused on the conversation going on around him.

"So what do we know aboutthe staff, it sounds like an inside job to me." Emily was stating.

"Yeah they are the first ones I want to talk to" Morgan agreed, "I'm sure this kid's got a nanny, where was she at when he was kidnapped?"

"The next room over, her room adjoined to Joshua's"

"Ok so Morgan and Prentiss you go to the house and talk with the staff and the mother, find out what you can. JJ you come with me to talk with our senator, and Reid, I want you to go and look at Joshua's room. Look for anything that might seem out of the ordinary. Let's get this little boy home to his family as quickly as we can people."

The team disbursed gathering the few items they needed, Hotch punched the speed dial for Kate on his way back to his own office.

"Hey you. You do remember that I work with would be mind readers right?!"

Kate laughed, "Are there things on your mind that you don't want the others reading?"

"Harrumph" Hotch puffed unwilling to confirm or deny her accusation. "I gotta go I will see you tonight."

"Ok stay safe."

"Bye"

"Goodbye" Hotch couldn't help but smile at her small voice traveling through the line.

"Hey Hotch, you ready to go?" JJ popped her head in the door. "I just called the Senator's house and he is at his office so do you want to go there first?"

"Yeah let's go" Aaron grabbed the files he needed and his phone, he held the door for JJ and the two headed for the elevator.

"So what do you think about this case and about the senator being at work instead of home with his wife?" JJ asked when they were buckled into Hotch's SUV.

"I think that there is probably a connection with the staff or the family, as far as the senator, well I guess we can see where his priorities lie. I really hate politics." Hotch grimaced.

"I know but I will do everything I can to keep it from interfering with you guys investigation."

"JJ I don't know what we're going to do without you while you're on maternity leave." Hotch turned towards her and smiled.

"Don't worry sir I won't leave you shorthanded" She answered mysteriously

When they reached the senators office and showed their badges to the secretary at the front desk requesting to see the senator.

"Good morning mister senator, I am Agent Hotchner and this is Agent Jareau, we are with the FBI's Behavioral Analyst Unit. We understand that your son was kidnapped last night?" Hotch shook the older man's hand.

"Yes thank you for coming so quickly. My wife went in to Joshua's room this morning a little before eight to check on him and he was missing. Of course it took a little while for us to realize that he was indeed missing and not just somewhere with his nanny."


	16. Chapter 16

**I got this chapter done a lot faster than I thought, maybe admitting that I am** **struggling with writers block threw me out of it lol. Hope you like it I think that I am going to explore the former relationship with Haley I don't know for sure I kinda tempted at it in this one let me know what you think. **

* * *

Morgan and Prentiss were standing in the living room with two women, one crying and one with a remarkably pissed off expression.

"SSA Hotchner and Agent Jareau meet Ms. Haralson, Joshua's mother and Miss Matthews, his nanny." Emily introduced them when they arrived at the house. Emily usually was very patient with the victims' families but even she was looking weary.

"This incompetent woman is not my nanny any longer! As soon as you people are done with her she will be removed from my house!" The older woman nearly screamed.

JJ spoke first her voice very calm the one she reserved for the out of control press conferences, "Ms. Haralson can you take me to find some photographs of Joshua to release to the press later?" She gently guided the woman out of the room with a smile.

Hotch never stopped being amazed at the blonde woman's talents n these types of situations. He turned towards the young nanny that Emily was consoling.

"I know that he's my responsibility, and I checked on him right before I went to bed he was sleeping soundly, I covered him up and I went to bed, that was about midnight. I have a monitor in my room so that I can hear him if he wakes up in the night but it was turned off this morning. I NEVER turn it off, I don't know what happened." She dissolved into tears again.

Hotch looked at Morgan did the crime team dust her room for prints?"

"I'll go check" He took off at almost a run.

"Miss Matthews I know that you're upset but I need you to think do you remember anything unusual last night. Have you noticed anyone here that didn't belong, even in the last few days, someone who worked around the house but shouldn't be close to yours and Joshua's rooms?"

"No Josh and I keep mostly to ourselves around the house, I take him to the park but I know most of the other nannies and parents there, no one there seemed like the type to take Josh. Please Agent Hotchner, you have to find him!" She threw herself against Hotch's chest, clutching his jacket in her fist; his arms instinctively went around her.

"Shhh, we will do everything we can." Hotch soothed, she wasn't much more than a child herself. After a few seconds she seemed to realize what she had done a stepped quickly back apologizing.

Hotch patted her shoulder as he walked from the room he wanted to see what Reid had found in the child's room.

It was after one o'clock when the team decided that they needed to stop and sit down somewhere to compare notes. They agreed on a little dinner not far into town, and gathered around a couple of old but clean tables. After giving their orders to the waitress they pulled out notebooks and began reviewing what they knew so far, which wasn't much more than they had started with early that morning.

"I think that this guy has to be someone close to the family, he got in and out of the house with anyone seeing anything. He was someone that they expected to see in the house." Morgan interjected.

"What bothers me is how unconcerned the parents seem to be, I mean mom is more concerned with getting the "incompetent Nanny" out of her house than where he four year old son might be right now. And Dad well dad is ever the politician, only thinks about the election and how this is going to affect his chances at re-election." JJ's eyebrows drew together as she voiced her opinion.

Hotch smiled as her hand protectively went to her stomach the mother instincts were becoming more and more evident in her by the day now.

He turned to Emily "what is your take on the parents?"

"Well unfortunately it's very typical of political families; my nanny was more like my mother than my mother was. I don't think she had anything to do with it if that is what you're asking, she seemed sincere in her concern over him."

"I agree, the drawings and pictures in his and her rooms reflected the close relationship between Joshua and Miss Matthews. She could have taken him to somehow protect him, especially if she thought that Ms Haralson was going to fire her." Reid always spoke in the mater-of-fact tone of voice.

"I want to hold a press conference, JJ can we get it together by this afternoon?"

"Yes Sir I will get right on it." She started to stand.

"Sit and finish your lunch, another fifteen minutes won't change anything. I just want to judge how Senator and Ms Haralson act in front of the cameras."

They talked over a few more angles while they finished and decided that they would all attend the press conference that JJ was setting up for them so they could get a feel for how the Senator and his wife would react.

When they'd finished eating Hotch got up to pay the bill, he had been thinking about Kate during lunch. Now that she was feeling better he knew that she was having a hard time sitting around at home. The others were still sitting around the table discussing the case so Hotch walked out to the parking lot and dialed her number.

"Hey Aaron"

"Hey Kate, how's it going?"

"I am going out of my mind with nothing to do! You're out on a case Gibbs, Tony and McGhee are out on a case and I'm stuck here at home with the remote."

Aaron laughed at her whining, "I'm sorry sweetie, you'll be back to work in a week or so just enjoy the time off."

"That line worked for the first week or so but now I'm just going crazy!"

"Well just be glad that you are not working on my case right now."

"Why what's wrong?"

"A uh certain senator's son has been kidnapped and it's just sickening all of us to watch how little the man cares for his family."

"I'm sorry Aaron, I hate when there's all that red tape in an investigation like that."

"Yeah me too I could never be a politician."

Kate could hear the weariness in his voice and softened hers, "Aaron are you ok?"

'Yeah I'm fine; I just want to find this little boy."

"I know hurry up and do that so you can come home tonight and get some rest."

'Yes ma'am" Hotch laughed.

"Good luck"

"Thanks Kate, I will see you tonight."

Hotch hung up as the others walked out of the dinner, "So what's the time on the press conference JJ?"

"Four o'clock this afternoon Sir."

"Alright let's go back to the house and talk with Ms. Haralson and Miss Matthews again I have a feeling that one of them knows more than they are saying."

"Miss Matthews please think there has to be something" Prentiss asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

The woman just shook her head and stared at her hands clasped tightly together. "Wait! I just remembered, I overheard a conversation the Senator had with some man I think it was his lawyer the other night. I wasn't listening in but they didn't know that I was in the library and I didn't want to get in trouble so I just stayed quiet."

"What did they say Miss Matthews?" she coached the younger woman.

"Well the Senator said he didn't see how that idea would help his chances and the other man said he was sure it would. I didn't hear what they said about the plan that must have been before they came in to the library. Then they left the room again and I went upstairs to my room before anyone found out I was there."

Prentiss looked at Hotch and raised her eyebrows at him; he motioned for her to follow him into the hall.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It wouldn't be the first time a parent had set up their own child's kidnapping."

"I have an idea, meet me at the conference and just follow my lead when I get there, tell the others." He shouted the last part over his shoulder as he jogged to the SUV out front.

That night the team gathered in the BAU conference room to go over the notes from the case.

"Ok so Hotch you want to fill us in on what happened in there today." Morgan asked with a lopsided grin.

"Well when Prentiss and I were talking to the nanny she mentioned that the Senator was discussing something to help his campaign with another man in the library. With all of his emphasis on this NOT hurting his chance of re-election and his wife not being concerned over her child's wellbeing I just put two and two together. I wasn't sure that I could put it all in action by the press conference or not though."

"Well Ms Haralson's response was more than we could hope for, when she turned and slapped her husband screaming that he had promised nothing would happen to Joshua it all began to fall apart." JJ laughed.

All in all this case had actually turned out to be somewhat of a stress reliever for all of them. A bit of revenge getting to put the Senator away for the underhanded way he was handling his campaign and how badly he was treating his son.

Prentiss had made sure that Joshua was taken care of before she left. The nanny would have him until his mother's sister could come and get the boy while the fate of his parents was decided.

"And the good news is that we have the weekend off" JJ announced cheerfully.

The team began packing up their things to head home, and Hotch's phone rang in his pocket and he was surprised to see Haley's name on the screen instead of Kate's.

"Hello"

Aaron, I was just wondering if you were still going to have Jack for this weekend."

"Yeah I was actually just about to call you, we just got back from a case and it looks like the weekend will be free so I can pick him up on my way if that works for you."

Aaron was trying to be very gentle with her and not do anything to start a fight.

"Do you have a bed for him to sleep on yet?"

"I will stop and get one on the way home; he can pick it out that way. We will get everything he needs."

"Um I guess that will be alright, I will make you a list of the things he likes to eat too."

"Haley it is only two days we will be fine, ok"

"Aaron don't start with me alright"

"I will be there in a few minutes."

Aaron hung up and turned around, it was hard not to get frustrated with her.

"Aaron Hotchner?"

"Yes"

"Sign here please" the man held out a clipboard and pen.

Aaron signed it dread welling up inside him, and returned it to the man in the suit. He was handed a large envelope.

"What is it Hotch?"

"Haley is filing for divorce." He answered flatly, only JJ knew how severe his problems at home were. He gave the team a smile that looked more like a grimace and turned to go.


	17. Chapter 17

"Daddy, Daddy" Aaron caught a glimpse of the small boy before he hurdled himself into his father's arms.

"Daddy I thought you were going to work _forever_!" Little Jack said his face pressed into Aaron's neck.

"I'm sorry buddy, I missed you, and did you have a good time with Mommy at Grandma's house?" He watched the solemn nod and made a mental note to ask Haley what she was telling him about why they weren't together anymore.

"Ok well go get your stuff we need to go." Aaron did not intend to stay here any longer than he had to. He had fought for Haley for long enough, she had obviously made her decision and if he really thought about it so had he. He couldn't have her and the BAU and he couldn't separate himself from the job so it wasn't as difficult as it once seemed.

"Did you get a bed?" Haley walked around the corner.

"I told you earlier on the phone that I was going to take him and we would pick it out together." Aaron tried to keep his voice monotone.

"Right well here is the list of things he eats, don't let him gorge out on junk food all weekend Aaron."

"Hmmm I'm getting quite a lot of paperwork from you today." He let the comment rest between them for a moment before he looked up to meet her eyes. She knew exactly what he was talking about, it was written all over her face.

"Did you read over them yet?"

"No I got served as I was walking out the door, I haven't had time."

"Read them as a human Aaron not as your profiler self or even your old lawyer self just as you." He nodded in response, not necessarily agreeing but not disagreeing either.

"Ok I'm ready Daddy, where are we going?"

Aaron lifted his son into his arms, "We are going to the store so that you can pick out all new stuff for your new room at Daddy's house."

"Yay! Let's go!"

"Tell Mommy bye."

He watch as Haley kissed him told him she loved him and then they were gone. As he buckled the little boy in his seat in the SUV Aaron took a deep breath not realizing how much he had been dreading that brief encounter with Haley all evening.

"Where are we going Daddy?" Aaron looked up at his son in the mirror.

"We are going to the store to get you a brand new bed and lots more stuff for your new room at Daddy's house. Does that sound good to you buddy?"

"Yes! Can I get a new blanket too?"

"Sure big man, we'll pick out lots of stuff."

The conversation continued on similarly the rest of the way to the store, Aaron pulled Jack from the seat and lifted him high up on his shoulders. Almost grinning as the blonde headed little boy squealed with excitement.

They found an easy to put together toddler bed and a navy sheet/comforter set with fire trucks printed all over them. Completing the décor Aaron found a lamp and curtains to match.

"Now can I go get a new toy Daddy?" Aaron couldn't turn down those deep blue eyes, they same reason why he was married to a woman that didn't love him anymore.

"Sure, but just one for today we need to get home so that you can help me put that new bed together, ok?"

"Ok"

He was worn out by the time the two of them had gone through the drive thru for dinner and gotten the room all set up. Poor little Jack had passed out cold on the floor curled up in his new blanket. Aaron scooped him up gently and placed the small body in bed. Standing there watching him breathe in and out he almost forgot about all the evil in the world, but only for a moment. The memories of all the horrible things he had seen came back flashing through his mind, nearly bringing him to his knees.

Aaron stepped out of the room and ran his hand through his hair, trying to return his breathing to normal. Walking into the living room he saw that there was a missed call on his phone. Kate! He had completely forgotten to call her with all the excitement shopping with Jack.

"I'm so sorry" He spoke as soon as he heard her answer the phone.

"It's ok I only called because I was a _little_ worried." Aaron could hear the smile in her voice.

He sank down onto the couch, "Haley called as I was leaving work for me to pick up Jack since we didn't have a case this weekend. Then he and I had to go and buy a bed and stuff to go with it and it took forever to get it all together and ready to sleep in, but we are all done now and he is sound asleep."

"You sound exhausted"

"I am but I feel so bad I didn't mean to forget about you Kate."

"It's fine, really, it's not like I changed my plans or anything." She laughed.

"I know it's late but do you want to come up here, I would come down but I can't leave Jack."

"Sure it will do me good to get out of here for a while. I've been staring at these four walls for way to many days now."

"Ok see you in a minute."

Aaron pulled his laptop out of his briefcase along with the case files and divorce paperwork that he'd brought home from the office; he needed to check his e mail to see if there had been any fallout from the stunt he'd pulled earlier with the senator and his wife.

"Knock, knock"

"Hey" He jumped to his feet and met her coming through the door, stooping over he dropped a kiss on her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine every now and then I move wrong but for the most part I feel completely normal."

Aaron led her back to the living room, "Sorry I don't have much furniture, I'm not here much so I didn't really need it but now that I have Jack staying here…." He let the sentence trail off.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Sure whatever you have is fine." Kate smiled up at him from her place on the couch.

Aaron pulled two glasses out of the cabinet and filled them with sweet tea, he froze in his tracks when he walked back into the room and took in Kate's expression and the papers she was holding in her lap.


	18. Chapter 18

**I wrote this chapter when i should have been sleeping so please overlook my mistakes hope you like please review! Many thanks to my very faithful reader ssbailey** who reads and give me feedback on every chapter. Yo**ur awesome!!!!!**

* * *

Aaron groaned and rolled over; when his eyes opened they focused on Jack's tiny face.

"Hey big guy, did you sleep well?"

"I'm hungry Daddy." He whined.

"Ok let's go get something to eat, just let Daddy get some clothes on. Can you go pick something out of your bag to wear today?" Aaron watched as Jack nodded and ran from the room. It wasn't until he was standing in front of the mirror that the events of the previous night came rushing back to him.

"_Aaron what is this?" Kate asked standing._

"_Haley served me with divorce papers today." Aaron answered slowly and softly trying to lessen the blow._

"_I…I thought that you were divorced already…." He fingers moved to her lips and Aaron could see the events of the other night playing in her mind. "Oh my…. AARON! You are still married!"_

"_Kate I'm sorry I know how this looks and I never meant to lie to you or deceive you in any way. When Haley moved out and told me that she wasn't coming back until I had moved all of the things out of the house that I wanted I came to grips with the fact that I would no longer be married. I, we just never talked about it, not after that first day we met at the elevators. Caitlin I'm sorry you have every right to be angry with me."_

"_I have to go, this goes against everything I know about you Aaron I just don't understand why you didn't just tell me. You're not the type of guy to well to do this."_

_She moved to walk past him and dodged as he reached for her. "Please don't touch me, I can't be that woman Aaron I won't be." _

_When she got to the door she turned around, and Aaron was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "You said that you wanted this to be different, that you wanted it to be not-complicated. How do you see this as not-complicated?" _

_Aaron moved towards her, it was breaking his heart to see her crying and crying because of him! _

"_Kate, your right I'm not that guy and I can't give you an excuse there isn't one. I am still legally married to Haley, I was wrong and I should have told you…..I'm sorry."_

_He had reached the spot where she was standing, right there in front of his tears streaming down her face, hurting all because of him._

"_You know what the worst thing is Aaron? The worst thing is that since I met you my whole life has seemed to take on a new light. The nights that I am sleeping in your arms….." her voice broke and Aarons knees almost gave out from under him, "those nights are the only ones that I have been able to sleep all night without waking up in a cold sweat from nightmares!" She was sobbing now. _

_Aaron took a chance and moved closer to her, when she didn't move away from him he took that as an invitation and drew her into his arms. Kate clung to his shirt and sobbed, after a minute he heard her whisper against his chest. He'd barely heard her but it was enough of a blow that when she moved away from him and out the door he stood rooted to the spot. _

Her words were still haunting him even now.

"_I trusted you" _

What was he going to do?

"Daddy I like blueberry pancakes" Jack said around his mouthful.

"I'm glad man, what do you want to do today?"

"Can we go back and play on the playground at your house?"

"Sure buddy"

"_I trusted you"_

Those words were playing repeatedly in his head.

He needed to get the papers and read them so that he could sign them and get them filed get this thing over. I would be his only hope in making things right with Kate.

"Haley, I agree with everything in these papers except for the stuff about me only getting every other weekend with Jack and no reschedules if I have to work."

"That's too bad Aaron because I'm not negotiating that; you will have to deal with your choices on your own."

"I'm doing the best I can, I don't want to contest the divorce but I can't give up on my son either."

"Ugh alright, I'm not trying to be the bad guy in everything here, I will have it written so that as long as I don't already have conflicting plans and _you _give adequate notice we will reschedule your weekend. How does that sound."

Aaron cringed he knew she had left enough loop holes in it that he might never be able to reschedule seeing his son.

"I think it is the best thing I'm going to get in this situation. Have them sent to the office Monday and I will sign them and send them back."

"Thank you Aaron, for not making this messy."

"I'd better go, I will drop Jack off in the morning."

"Ok see you then."

He didn't respond just hung up, he was beginning to feel like he'd been run over by a truck. It was getting late and he and Jack had a busy day but Aaron could tell by his breathing that the child was sleeping in his lap. They had been watching the movie that Jack had picked out when they went to the video store earlier.

Aaron lifted Jack easily up and carried him to his little bed. It would be a while before they would have a weekend to spend together.

He sank back down heavily onto the couch, wishing he could just call her but figuring that it was best to just give her some space. So instead he just flipped the TV to Fox news and turned out the lights, it would probably be a while before he would be able to get to sleep.

Aaron had just dozed when he heard the light tapping on the front door. It took him a second to realize that someone was there. Looking out the peep hole he was surprised to see Kate standing there with her arms wrapped protectively around herself.

"Kate, what are you doing here?"

"I don't know, I shouldn't be here but….." She looked down trying to hide the insecurity she was feeling.

"It was a bad one…. come in I will make us some tea."

She walked past him into the apartment and sat down at the small table at the end of his kitchen.

Neither of them spoke until he had two cups of hot tea sitting in front of them steeping.

"I'm not used to being vulnerable Aaron. I don't put myself out there to chance getting hurt but this time I did I ignored the warning bells and I opened my heart up to you." She stared down into her cup of swirling hot liquid.

He got up and moved to kneel on the floor in front of her chair and took her hands in his. "Kate I know this doesn't mean much now but I had every intention of signing the papers today and sending them back so that it would all be legal but she had some things in there about Jack that I couldn't just let go."

She nodded and looked over to meet Aaron's eyes; she could see the remorse in them and the deep pain at causing her pain. "The thing is, I don't want to _not_ be with you. I like you, lot but I don't want you to just sign those papers for me."

As much as she was fighting it the tears came again and she tried to turn away from him.

"Kate, you have nothing to do with Haley divorcing me. She has been planning this for a while, Haley is not the type to do things spur of the moment as she tried to make this look. It has been long in coming." He reached a hand up to brush away the tears, but it seemed to make them fall faster.

"Do you still love her?"The question came out as a whisper.

Aaron grimaced inwardly there wasn't a right answer. "I do, I probably always will, but it is not the same way it was twenty years ago, or even five years. She is the mother of my son, and the only woman I have ever slept with, my first love."

He stopped waiting for the backlash that he knew was coming, but it didn't when he looked up she had a half grin on her face. "You answered honestly"

She pulled him into a tight hug and laid her cheek against the top of his head. "I don't know what we are doing here but Aaron please don't ever lie to me or not tell me the truth. I need you in my life be that guy that I knew you were before all this happened."


	19. Chapter 19

Aaron stepped off the elevator Monday morning refreshed and ready to get to work. His weekend had turned out to be more relaxing than he'd anticipated, after Saturday night when Kate had come over and they'd talked over his divorce. She'd told him that there couldn't be anything between them not for a while, that after everything was final they would talk it over again.

After she left that night Aaron re-read the papers that Haley had served him Friday, making sure that he wasn't going to need to get a lawyer, as far as he could see things were in order. He should know he'd seen his share of divorce papers, but these were his, it was a whole different ball game.

"Morning Sir"

"Good morning JJ, you're here early"

"The same could be said for you too"

"I'm actually later than I usually get here but anyways, what do you have for me?"

"I'm having trouble with some of the cases that are on my desk right now will you look over them for me?"

"Sure just leave them here and I will read them and have them back to you by lunch." JJ often asked him where he thought they would be needed the most so this didn't come as a surprise to him. However, the fact that she was still standing there in front of him was.

"Is there something else JJ?"

"Well actually there is, I know that you got the divorce papers Friday I just wanted to make sure that you are ok?"

Hotch looked up, his and JJ's relationship had grown more personal in the last few months but it still was a shock when she popped out with a question like that.

"I'm ok I knew it was coming so it didn't come as a shock, I just need to make sure that I get to see Jack more often than what Haley seems to want to let me."

"You know that I'm here if you need me, I guess you still have lots of lawyer friends but I have a couple that owe me favors so just let me know." She was rambling, JJ hated to ramble.

"Thanks Jayje, but I think that she is going to amend the original ones and then I will just sign them and get it over with."

JJ smiled and nodded again continuing on her way out the door.

Hotch went back to his files and was surprised to look up and see that it was almost lunch, he felt as stumped on the case as JJ had looked when she'd dropped it off earlier.

He stood up sliding the photos back into the folder to take back to her office, and ran into Prentiss on the way.

"Sir I was just bringing you my notes from the last case."

"I'm headed to give this file back to JJ you can leave them on my desk I will go over them when I get back from lunch." Hotch answered continuing on his way.

"You're leaving for lunch?"

"Yes I will be back in an hour and a half."

Emily Prentiss stood shocked in the hallway, in all the time she'd been with the BAU Aaron Hotchner had never left the office for lunch!

Thirty-five minutes later Aaron pulled to a stop in the parking lot of his apartment, he was armed with Kate's favorite food from the Chinese place and hoping to spend the meal with her. Instead of using the key he still had he knocked, figuring that since she didn't know he was coming that he should give her a little warning.

Seconds later the lock turned and the door swung open revealing Kate standing there in jeans and a red from fitting sweater. She smiled when she saw him, "Hey"

"Hey"

"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I brought lunch" Aaron held up the bag of food.

"Mmmm smells good, is it what I think it is?

"Your favorite" Aaron grinned down at her. What was it about this woman that made him want to forget the rest of the world and just curl up somewhere with her in his arms? She stepped back allowing him room to move past her and into the apartment.

They moved about the kitchen together putting food on plates and getting drinks, Aaron was struck once again at how easy things were with Kate.

"I'm going back to work on Wednesday." She announced out of the blue.

"Isn't it still a little soon" Aaron knew that she had to have been cleared for duty but still he wasn't ready for her to be back out on the streets in danger.

"I'm fine; I'm tired of sitting around here doing nothing." There was an edge to her voice that he wasn't used to hearing.

"I understand, I'm sorry" He reached across the table and covered her hand with his.

"I've just been locked up in this apartment and I feel like I'm going crazy." She smiled at him.

A comfortable silence fell and they finished their meal, and Aaron helped get the dishes washed and put away.

"The divorce papers should be delivered this afternoon" He commented slipping his arms into his jacket.

Kate's eyes dropped to her feet in what looked to Aaron like embarrassment, "How long once they are filed?"

Aaron moved to stand in front of her, placing his hands on her upper arms, "Caitlin you have nothing to be ashamed of."

When she looked up at him sharply he knew that he'd read her mind correctly. He brushed a stray strand of hair from over her right eye. Aaron's head dropped almost trance like towards hers. He stopped; his lips centimeters from her now slightly open mouth.

"Kate I can't kiss you, not until it is all finalized, I won't hurt you again." Aaron heard her breath catch and her eyes dropped to his lips and back to meet his, but neither of them moved. His head moved to one side as if to eliminate the short distance between them. Watching the internal debate going on behind her eyes that's almost what he did. Instead he tipped his chin up as if their lips were touching already and watched as she followed suit. Aaron smiled and pulled her tightly into his arms putting his chin on top of her head.

"I have to get back to work"

He felt her body relax into his and her arms came around his waist underneath his jacket.

"I will make dinner tonight if that works for you?"

Aaron pressed his lips to her head, "Sounds like we are going to be eating pizza"

She stepped out of his embrace and swatted his chest, "Just for that comment you most definitely might be eating COLD pizza!"

Aaron opened the front door laughing and turn back to face her, "To answer your earlier question, I have some strings I can pull to get the papers processed and file a little faster. It shouldn't take but a few days instead of the usual thirty days."

Kate nodded looking uncomfortable again.

"See you tonight Katie"

The afternoon went quickly, Hotch finished the stack of files piled on his desk and helped JJ with a few of the ones that were threatening to take over hers. That's where he was when the modified divorce papers were delivered to him. Knowing that JJ was watching closely he maintained a passive blank expression.

"Excuse me JJ I need to go over these so that I can get them signed and returned today hopefully." Hotch stood from his chair in front of her desk.

"Of course Sir, thank you for your help with this."

Hotch nodded in response and moved quickly to his office and closed the door behind him.

Skimming the first few pages to make sure that Haley's lawyer hadn't done anything underhanded he went to the paragraphs pertaining to custody of Jack. Carefully reading and re-reading it looked as if everything was just the way that they had agreed to. Flipping to the last page he saw Haley's neatly scripted signature and he lawyers underneath with a space for his right next to it. He had not retained a lawyer since the divorce was uncontested so he would need a witness, glancing up he saw that JJ was still seated at her desk across the way.

"Hey JJ about that favor…"

JJ looked up slightly startled by Hotch's deep voice in her doorway, "Sure Hotch what can I do?"

"I need a witness to be able to get these sent back and officially filed do you mind?"

"Not at all" She picked up her pen as if to show her willingness, and he slid the page in front of her, seconds later it was all done.

JJ watched her boss's face carefully trying to read anything in his face to get a clue on what he was feeling. She got exactly nothing.

"Thank you JJ, I'm going to make a copy of this and take them back to her lawyer on my way out of here."

"No problem Hotch, it's the least I can do."

She watched him leave wishing that she could do something, the man worked so hard he deserved to be happy.


	20. Chapter 20

Hotch swung the glass door open to the lawyers office walking confidently to the front desk. The secretary looked up at him and smiled sweetly, "Good afternoon sir what can I do for you?"

"I need to see Garret Thomas" He answered in the usual Hotchner way.

"I will see if he is available"

"Tell him that Aaron Hotchner is here to see him."

"Yes sir"

Hotch had deliberately left off the SSAIC title since this was personal business and he wouldn't need to Garret was an old friend of his from school.

"You can go on back Mr. Hotchner; Mr. Thomas is the last door on the left."

Hotch nodded and walked down the hall, just before reaching door it open and his friend stepped out.

"Aaron how are you? It's been too long my friend"

Hotch smiled, "I'm doing well, you?"

"Not too bad come in, I hear that you are in the Behavioral unit of the FBI so I would venture to guess that this afternoon visit is not a pleasure call."

"No but it's not FBI business either, Haley has filed for divorce" He laid the papers on the desk in front of Garret. "I've gone over everything and I'm not contesting anything so I have already signed them, but I do have a favor?"

"Anything"

"He lawyer is in this group, any chance you can put the pressure on to get this filed and finalized as quickly and quietly as possible?"

"Sure Aaron are you sure that you don't want to retain a lawyer, you know as well as I do how messy divorces get especially when children are involved."

"That is precisely why I am not contesting; at this point I just want it all over with."

"Ok I will do everything in my power to get this done hopefully by the first of next week, as long as there are no problems on her end."

"Thank you"

The two men talked shop a little while longer catching up on each other's lives and then Hotch left not responding to the secretary's goodbye on his way out.

On the way home he called Haley to let her know that he had signed the papers and filed them that afternoon. She didn't answer a habit she had picked up since they had separated getting back at him for all the times that he'd silenced her calls over the years. With a sigh he left the message on her voicemail and disconnected the call.

He put all of that out of his mind and speed dialed JJ number checking in with her to see if there was anything pressing that he needed to return to do. She said that he should go home and relax that she had not come across anything pressing and they could make a decision tomorrow. Hotch knew that she was trying to be gentle with him and mother him in the only way that she thought she could get away with. Deciding to let her have this one he agreed to go on home.

It felt like heaven to shower, put on comfortable clothes and still see some daylight out the living room window. He dialed Kate's number "Hey you, I was just checking to see if your apartment was on fire yet?"

"You are so not funny"

"If I'm not funny then why are you laughing?"

"I'm thinking about you having to grovel at my feet tonight after you've tasted the meal that I slaved over just for you."

Aaron laughed out loud at this, it felt so good to laugh, like a release from all the crap that he'd taken in today at work.

"I like to hear you laugh, you don't do often enough I'm afraid."

Aaron chose to ignore this comment, "What time do you want to eat?"

"Dinner will be ready in about thirty minute but you are welcome to come over whenever you are ready."

"Ok be there in few minutes."

Dressed in khakis and a long sleeve polo shirt Aaron knocked on Kate's door before opening it to let himself in.

She walked around the corner and he stopped in his tracks and his eyes slowly traveled up as she came to stand a few steps in front of him.

She was slightly taller than usual wearing black heals almost hidden under the black slacks that accented her legs and narrow hips. Aaron's eyes continued their journey upwards taking in the emerald green v-necked sweater that set off her deep set eyes perfectly and revealed a tiny flash of pink that kept it from being too low cut, the silver cross she wore dangled around her neck. Her hair fell long and strait around her shoulders framing her face, Aaron's eyes finally found hers and it was at then that he realized he'd been gawking at her.

Hands on her hips she smirked, "Do you want to borrow my camera?"

There was sarcasm dripping from her voice but he wasn't going to let her get away that easily, "No thank you that won't be necessary." Before she knew what was happening he'd pulled his phone out and snapped a picture with the tiny camera built into it.

"Aaron I was kidding!"

"You look amazing; I might need this when I'm out on a case." Aaron closed the distance between them hand coming up to tangle his fingers in her hair.

Even with the heals on she still wasn't eye level with him and when she opened her mouth to make a comeback to his previous comment he placed a finger to her lips. Her head tilted back so that she could look at him squarely, "You are gorgeous Caitlin Todd" he pressed his lips to her forehead.


	21. Chapter 21

"Well I have to say I am pleasantly surprised" Aaron stood and reached for the two empty plates on the table.

"I guess I'm supposed to take that as a compliment?" Kate smirked at him as she rose to follow him to the kitchen.

"Just leave the dishes I will get them in the morning"

"No way"

"I shouldn't be surprised that you are a neat freak should I?"

"I'm insulted, I am not a neat freak, I just like things in order" He smiled.

"Ok we will do them together" Kate reached across him to pick up the dish towel on the other side of the sink.

Aaron could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo as she passed under his nose.

They laughed and played their way through the dishes and then settled in the living room.

Aaron almost flinched when she sat at the opposite end of the couch reminding him that she was off limits for now. She flipped through a few channels before he glanced over towards her again.

"I signed the divorce papers and filed them today"

"Are you ok?"

Not the response he'd expected and for a moment he didn't answer.

"Every day I see what can happen to children who grow up in a broken home, I'm just concerned for Jack."

"Aaron are you worried that Haley will abuse him?"

"NO! Not at all I just want to be there for him and it was hard enough when we all lived in the same house now I just don't know"

"You are an amazing man Aaron Hotchner but you are not superman, you cannot be everything to everyone. Your son is most important and he should be but the only person who can control what happens in yours and his relationship… is you."

Silence settled between them each one lost in their own thoughts, "How do I chose between spending time with him and doing my job?" It came out in a whisper and Aaron was shocked to hear himself sound so vulnerable, he dropped his head to his hands trying to keep the hurt and anger at Haley neatly bottled up inside.

He looked so broken sitting that next to her shoulders bent elbows propped on his knees supporting his head. Kate shifted so that she was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her next to him; she placed a hand on his shoulder not knowing what else to do.

Aaron felt the warmth of her touch wash over him but he could feel the floodgates about to open and he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I…I have to go" he stood quickly and she followed suit, "thank you for dinner it was wonderful Kate, I will talk with you later." The words came out in a rush revealing more to Kate than Aaron realized.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek gently, "thank you" and he was gone.

Aaron Hotchner never lost control, never! But right now all he wanted to do was put his fist through a wall. The pent up anger at Haley for not understanding his need to catch killers and child molesters before they found another victim, was all of the sudden bubbling to the surface. Without even realizing what he was doing he'd dressed in his workout clothes and was running down the block, his defense mechanism securely back in place.

The next morning started out like most of Aaron's, the event and emotions of the night before had long since faded. He was trying to ignore the fact that he had put up that all familiar wall of protection between him and Kate, it almost surprised him at how long it had taken him to pull himself away from her emotionally.

"Good morning Hotch" JJ's cheerful voice broke through his thoughts.

"Morning JJ" He could hear the gruffness of his own voice as he answered not stopping to chat with her he headed straight to his office and closed the door behind himself. He was back to his usual self that much was for sure.

A few minutes after nine JJ knocked on Hotch's door, "Sir I have a case to brief whenever you're ready."

"Be right there JJ"

She silently closed the door behind her, the rest of the team was already gathering in the conference room where she had laid out case files and posted the crime scene photo on the bulletin board. 'It was nice while it lasted' she thought to herself about the new 'nice' Agent Hotchner.

He stormed into the room a few minutes late with his trademark frown firmly in place, "Ok JJ what have we got?" he said taking his usual seat at the head of the table.

JJ felt something akin to sadness as she stared the man she had come to call a friend and her boss and knew that something had caused him to revert back behind that wall that he'd just recently come out from behind. Two steps forward three back that was how life was with Hotch.

Things continued on that way for several weeks, Hotch lost track of time. He hadn't talked to Kate and she hadn't tried to call him either, time blurred together case after case. The divorce had been finalized a while back; Garret had more than come through on his promise to get it done quickly but it hadn't changed his life at all.

Hotch felt himself begin to relax sitting in the semi reclined seat in the BAU jet, they would be landing in about an hour. The week and half they'd just spent working on this last case had flown by. It had been tough on all of them but JJ had suffered the most. Fifteen newborns had died over the course of six weeks, at first it wasn't even reported, authorities under the conclusion that it was the SID's or sudden infant death syndrome. Once they made the connection and called in the BAU nine infants had died. JJ jumped on the case as soon as it crossed her desk getting the nod of approval from Hotch to accept the request, but it had done a number on the slight blonde who was well into her third trimester.

He glanced up at her, she sat across the aisle facing him, pretending to sleep but Hotch knew that her breathing wasn't relaxed enough to sleep. He also knew from over hearing Emily tell Morgan that she had been plagued with nightmares worse than usual. Once Hotch had woken to her scream from the next room, he and Morgan met in front of the door ready to knock it down when Emily swung it open and reassured them that they were ok to go back to bed.

Hotch knew what it was like when the faces in your nightmares changed from someone else's children to your own. Knowing that she was experiencing that brought up the same old feelings in him, and he'd woken up in a cold sweat more than just a few times on this case as well, most of them had included a certain dark haired NCIS agent he was trying desperately to get out of his head. So far it wasn't working very well.

"Hey you ok?"

Hotch realized he'd been staring at JJ while his thoughts were wondering, "I was actually wondering the same thing about you?"

The dark circles making it evident that she'd lost too much sleep, "I'm ok"

"Yeah you look it" the sarcasm nearly dripping from his voice.

JJ just sighed knowing that her boss already knew that she'd not been sleeping, Emily had sent them away so they wouldn't see her curled up like an infant crying in the hotel the other night but they'd heard her screams. If anyone would understand where she was at it was Hotch, but JJ wasn't ready to let him in just yet.

"JJ I know it's like to see your child as the victims in your dreams, up until Jack was on the way I thought that the nightmares couldn't get any worse than they already were and then I started seeing my unborn son's face in every victim." He stopped talking noticing the quiver in her chin before she could turn away to hide it. Getting up from his seat he moved quietly across the aisle to sit directly in front of her.

"How do you do it? How do you keep trudging through this every day?"

"Because if I even think about quitting or moving to a different department the nightmares become nothing compared to the things that haunt me during the day, as long as I am fighting, working to get these guys before they get to my family then at least the nightmares stay just nightmares."

JJ's tears flowed freely now, this was the most Hotch had opened up to her and she could hear the depth of pain in his voice.

"Haley wanted you to quit didn't she, she didn't understand what it is like, and she just wanted you safe." She whispered the words, the realization hitting her full force. They'd all wondered why Haley would ever want to leave Hotch, sure he could be a pain at work but it was obvious to everyone that he doted on her and Jack.

Hotch looked down at his lap unable to see the sympathetic look in JJ's eyes.

"Are you sure you didn't take the classes and become a profiler without telling me." He tried to joke but it came out flat.

JJ was unwilling to let this moment go, "They were bad after the thing with the dogs Hotch but even that doesn't compare with this last week, seeing a child…like that I just…."

"JJ no one would fault you for retiring now to raise your child, you shouldn't end up like me."

"I can't quit Hotch it's just like you said and you all are like my family I can't leave you to fight this alone."

He felt her small hand slip into his larger one and squeeze, "Don't tell anyone but you're my favorite big brother"

Hotch grinned when he looked into her watery blue eyes and saw that she was teasing him. "Seriously JJ if you ever need to talk please don't hesitate to call me even in the middle of the night when the monsters come out."


	22. Chapter 22

Finally Hotch thought as he dropped his bags on the little couch that ran along one wall of his office. He was glad to be back, knowing that it was late, well past midnight he almost turned the lights back off and went home but he didn't. Tomorrow would be a better day if he got the majority of the case notes down before going home. Leaving his ready bag he gathered his laptop and papers he moved to sit behind his desk and spread out.

"Sir you should be heading home" JJ's voice gently chided him a few minutes later when she stopped by on her way out the door with Emily right next to her.

"I'm just finishing up a few things, I will see you in the morning, get some rest; both of you" He answered addressing Emily in his statement as well.

"Don't stay all night Sir, we will see you tomorrow"

Hotch went back to work losing himself in the case again as he noted everything in as much detail as he could for the prosecutor. He had gotten so engrossed that he almost startled when his phone shrilled loudly nearly two hours later. His first thought was that JJ was having trouble and was actually taking him up on his offer to help. When he read the ID his heart stopped, it was Kate, and it was two in the morning! Something was wrong!

"Kate what's wrong?"

"Aaron, I'm sorry to call you so late but I don't know what else to do"

"Slow down Kate, it's ok I just got back from a case, what happened?" He could hear her sniffles through the phone, but she didn't answer him.

"Are you at home?"

"Yes"

"Ok stay right there I'm leaving now"

Hotch quickly gathered his things and tossed them in his briefcase, grabbed his ready bag and was out the door in seconds. His heart racing ninety miles an hour as he nearly ran to the SUV. What had happened to case her to call him in the middle of the night crying?

"Kate, Kate it's me are you here?" Hotch knocked on her door lightly, he still had a key but was going to give her the chance to open the door before he unlocked it on his own.

"Hey" she whispered.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"Come in I will explain everything" she was still whispering, what was going on?

Hotch sat down on the almost familiar couch but Kate stood hands on her hips in front of him.

"Hey Kate sit down and relax" he reached up and took her hand pulling her down next to him. "Now tell me what is going on"

He watched her take a deep breath and held it fight the tears again. "I…I got a call from a lawyer this afternoon, he said that my… sister had died" Kate stopped trying to regain some control.

"I'm so sorry Kate, I didn't even know that you had a sister, were you close?'

"No I haven't seen her since she left home about seven years ago, but that's not even the biggest thing. He told me that she has, or had or whatever the term would be…"

"Kate your rambling" Hotch smiled softening his words.

"She had a son, and she left him to me, he's four months old and he's sleeping in my bed right now." She finished.

"Wow, that is big news" he pause carefully thinking over what she had just told him, "Why are you upset though?"

"I don't know how to take care of a child, how to be a mother, I'm a government agent, how do I take care of him?"

"Kate I'm sure there is a reason why she entrusted her son to you." Tears were falling again so Hotch scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm just overwhelmed, and I didn't know who else to call, Gibbs is acting really strange about the whole thing and Tony is well…Tony. I'm sorry Aaron."

"You don't have to be sorry Kate; I will do whatever I can to help you, though I'm not the world's greatest father."

Kate turned towards him, "Do you want to see him, he's so beautiful?" she quickly wiped the remaining tears off her face.

"Ok" Aaron agreed, after the case he'd just come off of seeing a child alive and breathing would be good for his combating his nightmares.

The pair got up from the couch and Aaron followed her down the hall to the bedroom, pausing before entering the dark room.

Kate sensed his hesitation and reached for his hand, pulling him towards the bed where he could barely make out the tiny form sleeping in the center of the bed. She watched as the man beside her moved trance like closer to where the baby was sleeping.

Aaron wasn't prepared for the emotions that came over him when his eyes rested on slight rise and fall of the baby's chest. He knelt down on the floor next to the bed and reached out with his hand to brush the top of his silky head. A soft sigh escaped from the baby's mouth and he nuzzle towards the warm hand stroking his cheek.

Taking a deep breath he rose from the floor and turn to look at Kate, she had wrapped her arms around herself protectively. Aaron took a step towards her and drew her to him holding her close against his chest.

"You can do this Kate, I will do everything I can to help you, I promise" he whispered into her hair. Aaron could feel the sobs shaking her body silently so he led her back to the living room so they wouldn't wake the baby. He reached and wiped the tears from underneath her eyes with his thumbs, and held her face in his hands.

"I'm sorry Kate, for how I treated you these last weeks, for not calling or anything. I'm just…I'm not very good at this." He pulled her into him and kissed the top of her head and temple, placing kisses all along the side of her face and her upturned chin.

"Aaron"

"Kate" The words were lost as he covered her mouth with his in urgency, but not the forceful way he had last time they'd kissed. Kate slid her arms around his waist under his suit jacket, her hands pressing at the small of his back. The warmth started there under her hands and moved all through his body fueling the intensity of his lips against hers. He ran his fingers lightly under the tail of her shirt leaving a train of goose-flesh along her spine and causing her to sigh into his mouth.

Aaron didn't waste the opportunity the second her lips parted his tongue began tempting hers. Dipping in and out drawing her to him until she joined him in that dance matching him touch for touch, then to his surprise he felt her fingers making quick work of the buttons' along the front of his dress shirt the jacket already discarded to the floor.

Seconds later they were on the couch with Kate's hips pressed securely against Aaron's and he kissed a hot line from her mouth to her neck making mental note of the spots he hit that made her gasp. Her cool hands on the hot flesh of his stomach caused him to groan against the hollow of her throat. Aaron rolled Kate towards the back of the couch and positioned her under him, his knee moving between her legs.

Taking advantage of the opportunity he undid the buttons exposing perfectly flawless skin, lifting her up towards him he slipped the fabric from her shoulders taking time to graze his fingers along the way. Aaron's pulse quickened and his mouth matched that pace, reaching over his head he whipped his t-shirt off suddenly needing to feel her flesh against his, apparently she had the same need her hand slipped between them and unfastened the front clasp on her bra.

"Katie. You. Are. So. Beautiful." Aaron managed to get out in between placing kisses down her chest.


	23. Chapter 23

It was dark and something was holding him down, he had to get up the UNSUB had the baby, he had to get there before it was too late!

Aaron's eyes shot open, it was only a nightmare their UNSUB had been found and was securely behind bars. But there was still a baby crying somewhere, where was he? The events of the previous night came back in a hot rush when Kate shifted on top of him snuggling tighter into his neck. The baby!

He looked down at her peaceful face resting on his bare shoulder he came to another realization, they were both completely naked.

"Kate" Aaron rubbed her back trying to wake her gently; he wasn't too sure how she was going to react to the situation she would find herself in. The baby was really crying now, "Katie you have to wake up" this time louder and closer to her ear.

"Mmmm" She stretched raising her arms above her head while at the same time pressing her body tightly against his again. Aaron's body responded to the movement and his hips involuntarily arched up to meet hers.

It was then that Kate's eyes popped open, "What"

Aaron really wanted to get out from underneath her before his body embarrassed him further.

"The baby's awake"

"What baby"

"Your sister's baby"

"Oh no" Kate jumped up from the couch apparently forgetting that she didn't have any clothes. "Can I use your shirt?"

"Sure" He watched as she pulled it from the pile on the floor, tossing him his white undershirt. Taking that as a sign that she wanted him dressed he slipped it over his head and followed it with his boxers and suit pants.

Figuring that the baby was going to be hungry he made his way into the kitchen and found the can of powdered formula. It hadn't been that long since he'd gotten up in the middle of the night to make bottles for Jack. With a quick read of the instructions on the can Aaron had the bottle warm and ready for her when Kate walked into the kitchen with him resting on her shoulder.

After waking up the way they did the sight of her with the baby stirred something inside of Aaron.

"Here" He handed her the bottle, "How's he doing?"

"He's good… just hungry, I think" She smiled at him almost ruefully.

"From the way he's working on that bottle I would say you are right, you want me to make some coffee?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Aaron watched her walk back to the living room, still wearing his dress shirt that fell way above her knees. Shaking his head to clear it he set about making coffee and putting something together that resembled breakfast.

Balancing two cups in one hand and a plate in the other and sat down next to her on the couch.

"What's his name" Aaron asked handing Kate one of the cups.

"Andrew" Kate answered shifting him so that she could take the coffee, "thank you"

They sat silently for a while just watching little Andrew, "Kate about last night, I never meant for that to happen."

"I know, you weren't alone there" Kate stared at Andrew amazed at how peaceful he was laying in her arms.

"I still feel like I took advantage of you when you were vulnerable"

"Aaron please don't feel that way, please, we can't change what happened we just have to deal with it and move on from here."

"Ok well what exactly does this mean…now?"

"What do you want it to mean?" Kate asked softly.

Aaron looked at his lap not sure how to answer her, "I care about you Kate, I told you before that I do I just don't want to hurt you, that's why I stopped coming here."

"I'm not fragile; you don't have to handle me with kid gloves."

"I don't want things to be awkward between us" he reached over and brushed a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear.

"I don't want you to feel like that just because of what happened you have to stay with me, I want you to be with me because you want to."

"Kate, I do want to, I wanted to long before last night, last night was a result of how much I want to be with you." He turned himself on the couch next so that he could face her fully.

"Can we really make this work?" her voice was small and despite her earlier words Aaron knew that her heart was fragile.

"I'm not good at this, I'm married to my job, and chances are I will neglect you at some point."

"I'm willing to try if you are"

"I will try with everything in me Kate" he leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.

"Do you want me to hold him while you get dressed, I'm going to have to go and get dressed for work in a few minutes?"

"Sure" Kate gently handed the sleeping Andrew over to him and walked back to her bedroom.

Aaron cuddled the baby in his arms, it had been a long time since he had held a baby, Jack wasn't small enough to cuddle anymore. Until now he didn't realize that he missed it, he leaned down and kissed the downy soft head. "I promise to take care of you and your aunt as best I can, ok little man, and soon I will bring Jack over he's never been around a baby before so you'll have to be patient with him too. We Hotchner's aren't good at letting people in but hopefully we can turn that around huh"

Kate stood in the doorway watching the two of them, her heart melted at the sight, and tears sprung to her eyes when she heard his whisper. They were going to have tough road ahead of them no matter what but Kate was already falling for him hard there was no way she could just let him walk out of her life. There was going to be only one way to do this and that was to jump in with both feet. She walked over to where he was still sitting on the couch and wrapped her hands around his neck from behind.

"He's beautiful isn't he?"

Aaron jumped at her touch but recovered quickly, "he is that, he's a very peaceful child, Jack cried all night every night until he was three I think."

"You are welcome to my shower but I know you don't have any clothes here"

"Yeah I'll just run back to my place, thank you though"

She kissed his cheek and nuzzled against his ear with her nose, "You need to shave to Agent, that scratchy chin you've got is not in FBI standards"

Aaron stood up and walked around the couch to hand Andrew back to her, "I will call you later, are you working today?"

"No I took today and tomorrow off so that I can get set up here and hopefully find a sitter for him, if I can't he will have to stay at the daycare on base."

"Ok if I don't have a case I will call you and bring dinner if that's ok"

"Sounds good" surprising him by rising up on her tiptoes to place a sweet kiss on his lips, put his arms around her and pulled her close being careful of the baby between them. "Bye"

"Bye I will talk to you later ok"

Aaron bent and kissed Andrew's head and turn to go, he couldn't help the smile on his face, he could do this.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N Sorry I have taken so long to update this I've just had a really bad case of writers block, the episode of CM last night helped break it. Im still not really happy with my writing but I figured I have waited long enough I will do my best to update faster from now on. As always reviews encourage to writing thanks for your patience. Enjoy!**

* * *

A couple of hours later Aaron strode confidently into his office at the BAU, as usual the first one to arrive. Knowing that JJ would be here shortly he got right to work on the files that were backing up on his desk. It wasn't long before he heard female voices coming up from the bullpen, looking down he saw JJ and Emily standing at Emily's desk laughing about something. He was glad to see a refreshed looking JJ smiling; she must have gotten a good night's sleep finally.

Deciding it was time for a fresh cup of coffee he rose from his chair noticing to soreness in his muscles from his activities the previous night; he hadn't used those muscles in a long time. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered again his night and morning with Kate. He'd better get his mind under control or the girls were going to see strait through him.

"Morning Hotch"

"Good morning ladies, you get some sleep JJ?"

"Yes sir thank you for asking"

"I was just asking JJ if she thought we might get this weekend off, she thinks it's possible"

"There's nothing pressing right now so it's not completely out of the question"

"We can hope cant we" Hotch answered thinking himself that it would be nice to have the weekend to spend with Jack, Kate and Andrew. He was curious what Jack would think about Kate and vice versa. It would definitely be an interesting weekend if it all worked out.

His mind began to wonder what the four of them could do together that would be fun for Jack and for Kate. He realized that he had zoned out on JJ and Kate when they started laughing at him.

"You still with us Hotch?" JJ asked grinning widely at him.

"Yeah sorry, I was already making plans for that weekend off that you promised me" He threw over his shoulder as he headed for the break room, but not before he caught the exasperated look on JJ's face and the look of sheer surprise on Emily's. He could only imagine the topic of conversation that would come after he was out of earshot.

Hotch dropped his cell back down on the desk with a thud, he'd just gotten off with Haley. It was time like this that he wondered how their marriage had made it as long as it had. Hotch had been trying to work out a time he could pick up Jack the next day assuming that they weren't on a case. Thinking that by giving her some notice she would be more willing to work out a compromise. He was wrong, and Aaron Hotchner wasn't often wrong about things. He listened to her rant on and on about how his job always came first, keeping his temper under control. They had argued over this subject enough times already hashing it out again over the phone wasn't going to help her see things from his perspective.

In the end she agreed just as Hotch knew she would because she was more concerned with making sure that it wasn't her fault that Jack didn't spend time with his father. He almost felt bad for playing her but then he remembered how he'd sat listening to her cut him down for the last twenty five minutes and all feelings of remorse went out the window, replaced with the excitement of seeing his son again tomorrow. He wondered how Kate was coming with finding someone to watch little Andrew for her while she was working.

Kate sighed as she tried to think of what else she might possibly need while they were out; she had extra bottles filled with water and a can of formula. Today was going to begin with a trip to the store to find a diaper bag and some of those neat things she had seen on TV that would help make her life a little easier. "Ok little guy you ready to go?" she asked the infant lying on her bed. He just waved his arms at her in response. It was a little after two in the afternoon but at least she had found an older woman that seemed nice and when she called and had McGhee check her out came back squeaky clean. She was widowed with two grown grandchildren by her only son all of which lived in the New York area. The added plus was that she lived two floors above Kate so it would be convenient for both parties.

Kate lugged the baby carrier and all of the necessary baby equipment out the door and in to the elevator, adding a stroller to her mental list of items they needed. First stop Babies R us, she needed a crib and all the stuff that went along with it. Kate settled the carrier into the cart and pushed towards the isle with all the changing tables and cribs displayed, it was all a little overwhelming there were so many different ones all with signs proclaiming that they were the best option for her baby. Maybe she should have brought someone along to help someone that knew about this stuff. But no one at NCIS claimed to have any knowledge what so ever about children, all though she had a sneaking suspicion that Gibbs had more wisdom on the subject than he was letting on. It wasn't as if she could have invited him along on this shopping excursion, now that would have been an overwhelming experience!

Aaron would know the right things to get, Kate's heart softened remembering the sight of him holding Andrew this morning. No she shook her head, she was a big girl she could do this on her own. How hard could it be, she had protected the president, she could handle picking out baby things.

Two hours and a couple hundred dollars later an exhausted Kate gently buckled Andrews seat into her car. She had gotten everything she could think of that they might possibly need and paid the extra charge to have the larger items delivered to the apartment and unloaded. Maybe her and Aaron could at least put the crib together tonight after dinner, because she really needed Andrew to have his own bed tonight.

They had one more stop to make, Andrew needed more clothes and the selection at Babies R Us had not satisfied her Kate had really gotten into this shopping thing. She was excited to get home and get everything set up. Glancing down at the phone clipped to her belt, she sighed trying not to feel disappointment at the fact that said phone had remained silent all day, not even a text message.

Her words this morning were brave and they were true she was stronger than she looked but she was still a woman things were so unsure between the two of them right now. He had said he would call later all she could do was wait and trust that he would. Kate took her time picking out all the tiny pairs of pants and shirts, getting little sweaters and shoes to match his outfits. Before she knew it the cart was loaded and Andrew was waking up obviously hungry. It was time to head home.


	25. Chapter 25

Aaron's eyes felt like that were filled with sand, the all nighters they'd spent on the last case and his late night activities had caught up with him. Staring at the files littering his desk hadn't helped at all; he needed to finish these so that he could leave them with JJ to return to their respective law enforcement agency. He was glad to see that the blonde agent seemed to be doing a little better, she looked well rested at least, and the sparkle was back in her blue eyes. Hotch stretched and gathered the files up into a neat stack to return. When he got close to JJ's office he could hear her side of what sounded like a heated conversation.

"Will I just can't do this anymore, please…."

Hotch waited until he heard the slam of the phone down on the cradle before he knocked on the door.

"Hey JJ I am headed out for the day just wanted to leave these for you." He set the files down on the edge of her desk. She had yet to look him in the eyes, so he stood there waiting. When she finally gave in and met his gaze he saw that her eyes were red and filled with unshed tears.

"You want to talk about it JJ?" Even Hotch could hear the coldness in his voice, and he worked to soften it, "I heard you talking to Will, are you two having trouble?"

JJ dropped her face into her hands no longer able to keep the tears in. "I'm sorry Hotch, I tried to keep that conversation for later but Will just kept pushing…"

"It's ok JJ I thought everything was going ok with Will"

"It was he just wants me to give up my job and be a stay at home mother. Don't get me wrong Hotch, I love this baby and will do whatever I have to take care of it but I'm not going to give up what I _don't_ _have_ to."

"I understand and if this is what you want then I know you will be great, just do what makes you happy."

"Thanks Hotch, I needed a pep talk." She smiled up at him for the first time since he'd walked in.

"No problem, ok so I am headed out of here I have my cell if you need me for anything." Hotch turned to leave, "Oh and Jayje, don't stay here all night its late get out of here."

"I'm headed out too, soon as I think Will has his stuff out of my apartment." She answered with a grimace.

Laughing he continued back to his office to pack up the things off the desk that he needed to work on at home. For the first time in years Aaron Hotchner was looking forward to go home.

Kate thought her head was going to explode, Andrew had been crying the whole way home. She knew that he was hungry but there wasn't a thing she could do for him in the backseat right this minute. "Five more minutes baby and I will get you bottle."

Andrew didn't even seem to take a breath, Kate wasn't sure either of them was going to make it. Of course it was in that moment of crisis that her phone began to buzz, a quick glance told her in wasn't Aaron as she expected it to be.

"Gibbs, is something wrong?"

"Caitlin what are you doing to that child?"

"Nothing, he's hungry and I am driving so he's just going to have to wait a few more minutes."

"Well hurry up" Gibbs disconnected the call.

Exasperated Kate dropped the phone into her console and made the turn into the parking lot.

"Ok, Ok we're here I'm going to make you a bottle and get you a dry diaper, will that make you feel better?" Kate soothed as she lifted Andrew's seat out of the car.

"Here let me carry that." Kate whirled around hand instinctively going to her side where her weapon would normally be holstered.

"Gibbs what are you doing here, you scared me!" Kate said allowing him to take the carrier from her.

"Thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing with all of this."

Kate walked around to the truck and filled her arms with the bags she loaded in at the store, "We are fine Gibbs but you could have just asked that earlier before you hung up on me."

Gibbs just gave her that 'yeah right' look he was famous for, "There's a delivery guy here waiting for you to let him in with the rest of your stuff."

"Already? I thought it was going to take a couple of hours…" Kate looked at her watch and realized that it had been almost three.

Gibbs followed along with Andrew in tow; matching Kate's every two steps with one of his own. Once they were in the elevator she noticed that in his free hand Gibbs had retrieved the rest of her stuff from the trunk.

"Thanks" She said nodding towards the things he was carrying; he let the corners of his mouth turn upwards just a little as his only response.

Sure enough when they arrived on her floor there were two delivery guys waiting by the door with several boxes. Letting them in she motioned to the now empty spare room and went straight to the kitchen to make a little Andrew the promised bottle.

Shaking the formula water mixture Kate rushed back into the living room and found Gibbs cuddling the small baby against his chest. "You look like you have done that before Gibbs"

"He's just tired of that old seat." He handed Andrew who began to make quick work of the bottle to Kate. She dropped down onto the couch with a sigh, I never knew how tired shopping could make a person."

"Do you think you got enough stuff Kate?"

"I don't know I think so" not seeing at first that he was being sarcastic. "I only got what it looked like we needed."

"And then some" he muttered.

"Gibbs why are you here" Kate was tired and if he was just here to make fun of her then she had better things to do.

"Gonna put that bed together for you so you'll have some place to put him tonight."

"Um ok" he was really acting strangely.

Gibbs disappeared into what was now Andrew's room while she finished feeding him. Kate laid him down on her bed again once he finished eating and went to check on the progress. Carrying two cups of coffee she was surprised to see that he was nearly done with the crib assembly.

"I brought you some coffee Gibbs"

"Thanks"

Kate sat down in the floor and started unloading some of the smaller boxes, and soon the room was filled with all the baby paraphernalia she'd purchased.

"Hey Kate I'm here, sorry I didn't call I just stopped by the Italian place and grabbed a few choices for us to eat." Kate's head popped up when she heard Aaron's voice come from the front door. She's completely lost track of time.

With a glance a Gibbs disapproving expression she stood to her feet and went to greet Aaron in the kitchen.

"Hey" she said shyly.

"Hey yourself" he answered turning he moved to out his arms around her. "How was your day?"

"Good I went shopping for things for Andrew's room." She tipped her head back to look up at him silently wanting him to kiss her. It must have shown in her eyes because that's exactly what he did, pulling her up on her tip toes to meet his lips.

"ughhmm"

Aaron's body tensed and Kate jumped back, she had forgotten all about Gibbs in the other room. Oh well hopefully they weren't trying to keep this a secret, cause the cat was out now.

"Uh Gibbs came over to help me put Andrew's crib together" Kate stammered trying to explain his sudden presence.

"I'm finished, see you Monday Kate… Agent Hotchner." He walked over to where Kate was standing and leaned over to kiss her cheek, quickly making his way out of the apartment.

Aaron just stood there propped against the counter still shocked at what had just happened.

"I'm sorry, he was just here when I got home and then he started putting the crib together and you came in and…." She trailed off nervously a hand going to her still kissed flushed mouth.

"Kate it's ok" pulling her back into his arms and grinning down reassuringly, "as long as I am the only one that gets to kiss you like this." And his mouth was on her with a hunger, today had felt like an eternity.

"Wow as long as you keep doing it like that I promise never to kiss anyone again as long as I live!" Kate laughed before she caught the expression that flickered in his eyes. "I didn't mean, um well I meant…"

"Kate stop it's alright I know what you meant." He pulled her tight in against his chest, "I missed you"

"Mmm I missed you too, but I am so tired, shopping with Andrew wore me out." She mumbled into his shirt.

"Well let me get some plates and something for us to drink, you go to the living room and sit down on the couch. Don't move until, got it?"

"Yes sir" Kate giggled and dodged as he swatted her.


End file.
